Gifted and Talented Programs

Problem Solving

• Activities
• External web links

The mere formulation of a problem is far more often essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill.
To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advances in science.
Albert Einstein

Gifted and talented students need to adopt the role of problem finders and solvers rather than fact absorbers. They should not just be walking inventories or memory banks, passively soaking up information. Steps to assist students in gaining confidence to choose appropriate methods of solving problems can be taught in a course or program.

Problem solving experiences require the assimilation of principles, theories and concepts at a higher degree of complexity across learning areas, frequently leading to the transfer and application of higher-level cognitive processes.

Students often need time to pursue a problem and access to a greater variety of resources at a higher level than those of the regular classroom curriculum. Many different problem-solving models are available in commercially produced books. The following steps provide one example as a guide to use in teaching but should not be used in isolation. Reference should also be made to Osborn-Parnes' Creative Problem Solving Process outlined in this website.

PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

• READING AND RE-STATING THE PROBLEM
  Students read the problem then re-state it in their own words to clarify it.
• BRAINSTORMING
  Brainstorming is the listing of given information, jotting down of immediate conclusions, ideas, related known facts or alternatives that may exist.
• LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM ANOTHER WAY
  Students need to re-state the problem in their own words then look carefully in case assumption are being made for which alternative interpretations should be considered.
• IDENTIFYING PATTERNS
  Students must look for existing patterns from a picture or display.
• MAKING ORGANISED LISTS
  Sometimes organising a list from given information and the making further additions to the list leads to a solution.
• MAKING TABLES
  Making a table of results will lead to the formation of a pattern from which a solution can be seen.
• DRAWING DIAGRAMS
  Drawing a diagram should become standard procedure to organise and display information.
• MAKING A MODEL
  For problems involving characteristics or configuration of 3D objects, a model is helpful.
• ACTING IT OUT
  Students physically act out the problem.
• FORMULATING GUESSES AND TESTING SOLUTIONS
  Following the display of all given and discovered data the series of solutions should be tested. Encourage students to make estimates.

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Activities

Problem solving activities

Ideas in this section can be modified or adjusted to suit the age level, learning area, group or class and the learning needs of the students.

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External web links

Australian Mensa

BC Ministry of Education
This site provides an adaptation of the Osborn-Parnes CPS model by Treffinger, Isaksen and Dorval: 1994 as well as a BC Grade 2 activity.If I were a Mayor...

Characteristics of Gifted Students with Specific Disabilities
Davinci's helicopter "..Gifted Visually Impaired students have advanced problem solving skills."

CPS Model
Notes from Gary Davis's Creativity is Forever - 1998 Kendall Hunt The article outlines the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model using six stages to guide the creative process.

Macquarie Bank Future Problem Solving Program
Future Problem Solving is an international educational program for students of all ages from P - 12 that focuses on the development of creative thinking skills. In particular, it centres on the skills of problem identification and positive solutions to those problems.

Project Renaissance
Win Wenger, Ph.D. Additional techniques worth using.

Tournament of Minds
TOMS is a problem-solving program for teams of students from both primary and secondary years. They are required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines: Language Literature, Maths Engineering and Social Sciences

Trinity College
Problem solving links.