Published Article / Planning problems are frequently encountered in everyday situations. The brute force approach of evaluating every possible solution for any medium size planning problem is just not feasible. Drools Planner is an open source Java library developed to help solve planning problems by using meta-heuristic algorithms. Drools Planner uses the Drools Expert (rule engine) for score calculation to greatly reduce the complexity and effort required to write scalable constraints in a declarative manner. This paper presents an introduction to Drools Planner, how it can be used to solve problems and concludes with an example scenario.

The purpose of this study was to revise and revalidate the scoring procedure of the DISCOVER Mathematics Assessment to allow evaluators to better measure creative problem solving ability in mathematics, identify gifted students, and evaluate the programs developed for fostering creative problem solving. The data for this study consisted of 233 students selected from five different grade levels. I conducted descriptive statistics and regression analyses to compare the relationships of both the original and revised versions of the scoring system with general creativity. I found that range increased from the original to the revised version of the scoring system for mathematical problem solving performance in semi-open-ended problems, however it decreased for overall performance and performance in open-ended problems. Variance, on the other hand, increased for both overall problem solving performance and performance in semi-open-ended problems, and decreased for performance in open-ended problems from the original to the revised version of the scoring system. Furthermore, in the revised model all three variables of the creative mathematical problem solving performance (overall performance, performance in semi-open-ended problems, and performance in open-ended problems) explained more variance in general creativity than the original version. Statistically, the differences between the original and the revised versions were significant for all three variables, except for creative mathematical problem solving performance in open-ended problems. Across grade levels, I found that for the group Lower Grade Levels (grade levels 1 and 2), the explained variance in general creativity increased from the original to the revised version for both overall performance and performance in semi-open-ended problems. However, it decreased for performance in open-ended problems. On the other hand for the group Higher Grade Levels (grade levels 3, 4, and 5) the explained variance in general creativity increased for all three variables from the original to the revised version. Statistically, the only significant difference between the original and the revised versions was for overall problem solving performance in Higher Grade Levels. I concluded that the revised version of the scoring system was more effective when predicting variance in general creativity for overall problem solving performance, and performance in semi-open-ended problems. Also, it predicted more variance in general creativity for the group Higher Grade Levels than the group Lower Grade Levels. Therefore, I suggested that quality should be considered as well as fluency, flexibility, and originality when scoring assessments for creative problem solving ability in mathematics.

This study investigated the effect of a blended-learning approach in the learning of problem-solving skills in a first-level distance education physics module. A problem-solving type of instruction with explicit teaching of a problem-solving strategy was implemented in the module, which was presented through correspondence, online using an in-house learning management system as well as two face-to- face discussion classes. The study used the ex post facto research design with stratified sampling to investigate the possible cause-effect relationship between the blended-learning approach and the problem-solving performance. The number of problems attempted, the mean frequency of using strategy in problem solving and the achievement marks of the three strata were compared using inferential statistics. The finding of the study indicated that the blended-learning approach had no statistically significant effect in the learning of problem-solving skills in a distance education module. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)

The role of trauma has been implicated in the etiology of juvenile delinquency (Esbensen & Huizinga, 1991; Dulmus, 2003). This is especially pronounced among inner city minority youth. Traumatic experiences can hinder an adolescent's social-cognitive development, prevent the use of adequate coping mechanisms and cognitive processes, such as social problem solving, and lead youth to disengage their moral controls (Ng-Mak, Salzinger, Feldman, & Stueve, 2002). The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of trauma and adjustment strategies among African American urban youth and how moral disengagement can be averted via mediation by the use of social problem solving skills. Bandura's theory of Moral Disengagement (Bandura, 1990) was used as a conceptual model to explain how these juveniles cope and adapt to their stressful inner city environments. Existing literature suggests that moral disengagement is associated with antisocial behavior. This study sampled forty-six adolescents at a predominately African-American inner city high school. Trauma was measured by the My Worst Experience Scale (MWES; Hyman, Snook, Berna, DuCette, & Kohr, 2002). Social-problem solving was assessed by the Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R; D'Zurilla, Nezu, & Maydeu-Olivares, 2002), social resources and support was measured by the Life Stressor and Social Resources Inventory-Youth Form (LISRES-Y; Moos & Moos, 1994), coping styles was assessed using the Coping Responses Inventory-Youth Form (CRI-Y; Moos, 1993), and moral disengagement was measured by the Multifaceted Moral Disengagement Scale (MDS; Bandura, 1995). Consistent with previous research, trauma was implicated in the etiology of antisocial behavior. Results found that social problem solving mediates the relationship between trauma and moral disengagement. However, social resources and support did not moderate the relationship between trauma and moral disengagement. Also, moral disengagement was not significantly correlated with specific coping styles. Based on these data, the findings of this study suggest that adolescents with more constructive or effective problem solving are not only less likely to engage in delinquent and aggressive behavior, but are also less likely to morally disengage or use moral justification to validate their transgressive behaviors. Implications for future research in addition to school and community-based interventions are presented.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / Architecture / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Multi-agent systems are applied to distributed problem-solving applications because of their ability to overcome the limitations that individual agents face when solving complex problems. Large numbers of agents acting as problem-solvers on networks suggest a virtual marketplace. In this marketplace, groups of self-interested agents can interact to solve highly constrained and distributed problems by assuming varying roles and forming “temporary teams”. This dissertation presents a decision making mechanism for multi-agent team formation between self-interested agents in a competitive, open and dynamic environment. An agent perceives environmental uncertainties, and models those uncertainties into simplified categories such as risks and benefits. The dissertation further demonstrates how an agent’s attitudes shape how risk and rewards are weighted when making decisions among multiple alternatives. Accordingly, agent-borne attitudes toward proactive behavior, risk, reward, and urgency are proposed as the basis of the proposed team formation mechanism. Finally, a learning technique assists an agent in continuously learning what attitudes it needs in order to adapt to dynamic environments and increase its resulting rewards. / text

Gardner (1985) defines intelligence broadly as the ability to solve problems and create products as well as to find or create new problems. He also suggests that every normal individual has the capacity to develop abilities in seven different areas or types of intelligence. Maker (1992, in press) hypothesizes that gifted individuals competently solve problems of all types, that is, problems ranging from well-defined to ill-defined. In this study of spatial intelligence, the theories of both researchers were tested. The primary purpose of the study was to describe behaviors that could be observed, processes subjects reported using, and characteristics of products subjects created as they solved the series of spatial problems. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if careful observation of processes subjects employed, combined with the subject's report of processes used and an evaluation of products produced could, indeed, paint a clear picture of the subject's spatial abilities. Six research questions guided the study. The three primary areas of investigation were (a) the similarities and/or differences of behaviors observed, processes reported, and characteristics of products across tasks for individual subjects, (b) the similarities and/or differences of behaviors observed, processes reported, and characteristics of products across subjects for each task, and (c) the similarities and/or differences of behaviors observed, processes reported, and characteristics of products to Gardner's description of spatial intelligence. The researcher delineated eight broad categories of observed behaviors, two broad categories of processes reported, and nine characteristics of finished products. She noted both similarities and differences in behaviors, processes, and products across subjects for tasks and across tasks for subjects. Subjects reported that they used processes similar to those described by Gardner (1985); Gardner does not establish behaviors that can be observed as subjects solve spatial problems, nor does he clearly establish characteristics that might be included in products subjects created. Therefore, the behaviors noted and the characteristics of products created by the subjects in this study allowed the researcher to further define spatial intelligence. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Changes in the affect of ten remarried couples during participation in a communication and problem solving skills training program was investigated. Subjects completed a questionnaire assessing 25 positive and 25 negative feelings toward the spouse every night for 56 days. No changes in specific feeling states or in overall negative affect was found. A significant linear trend indicating a progressive increase in overall positive affect was found for husbands, but not for wives. The findings provide weak support for the affective impact of the intervention program or the conflict processes model underlying it.