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The effects of order of presentation and amount of experience on errors and solution time were investigated. An interactive narrative puzzle was presented on a computer screen to 60 undergraduate students. Solution of the problem involved the integration of two path segments. Subjects in the Forward Condition were presented the path segments in the order in which they had to be traversed for solution. Subjects in the Backward Condition were exposed to the opposite order of presentation. Amount of experience was varied by permitting one, three, or five readings of the narrative.

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An insightful solution to a problem may be promoted by temporarily being away from the problem at hand and engaging in other tasks or problems. Wallas (1926) conceptualized such an interruption period between problem solving activities as an incubation period. The present study examines the effect of such activities that are provided as an incubation period in computer-based problem solving tasks. In addition, this study explores the potential interaction between the type of problems and the type of interruption tasks involving two types of problems (verbal and spatial) and two types of interruption activities (verbal and spatial). One hundred eighty five undergraduate volunteers participated. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the six conditions, Spatial Problems: No-Interruption Task, Spatial Problems: Verbal Interruption Task, Spatial Problems: Spatial Interruption Task, Verbal Problems (Anagrams): No-Interruption Task, Verbal Problems (Anagrams): Verbal Interruption Task, and Verbal Problems (Anagrams): Spatial Interruption Task. A computerized technique was developed and incorporated for data collection and material presentation. This technique was considered to have advantages over the conventional data collection format because of its ability to (1) standardize the presentation and assessment of problem solving tasks, (2) allow subjects to manipulate the problem components as they desire, simulating real world problem solving approaches, and (3) monitor the subjects’ on-going interactions through the use of intricate, covert, data collection techniques. Regression analyses were employed to analyze the data collected using this computerized technique. The findings from the present study partially support the view that problem solvers can benefit from a temporary interruption task in a problem solving sequence. The participants resolved the problems more quickly when distracted by an intervening simple cognitive task than when allowed to work continuously. It was implied that a problem solver could benefit from an interruption that involves stimuli changing visually and spatially and that also demands some degree of cognitive involvement. Although the present study did not demonstrate effects of interaction between the problem types and interruption types, the findings suggested that in the case of spatial problems, engaging in an incubation activity is likely to result in more efficient performance.

An insightful solution to a problem may be promoted by temporarily being away from the problem at hand and engaging in other tasks or problems. Wallas (1926) conceptualized such an interruption period between problem solving activities as an incubation period. The present study examines the effect of such activities that are provided as an incubation period in computer-based problem solving tasks. In addition, this study explores the potential interaction between the type of problems and the type of interruption tasks involving two types of problems (verbal and spatial) and two types of interruption activities (verbal and spatial). One hundred eighty five undergraduate volunteers participated. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the six conditions, Spatial Problems: No-Interruption Task, Spatial Problems: Verbal Interruption Task, Spatial Problems: Spatial Interruption Task, Verbal Problems (Anagrams): No-Interruption Task, Verbal Problems (Anagrams): Verbal Interruption Task, and Verbal Problems (Anagrams): Spatial Interruption Task. A computerized technique was developed and incorporated for data collection and material presentation. This technique was considered to have advantages over the conventional data collection format because of its ability to (1) standardize the presentation and assessment of problem solving tasks, (2) allow subjects to manipulate the problem components as they desire, simulating real world problem solving approaches, and (3) monitor the subjects’ on-going interactions through the use of intricate, covert, data collection techniques. Regression analyses were employed to analyze the data collected using this computerized technique. The findings from the present study partially support the view that problem solvers can benefit from a temporary interruption task in a problem solving sequence. The participants resolved the problems more quickly when distracted by an intervening simple cognitive task than when allowed to work continuously. It was implied that a problem solver could benefit from an interruption that involves stimuli changing visually and spatially and that also demands some degree of cognitive involvement. Although the present study did not demonstrate effects of interaction between the problem types and interruption types, the findings suggested that in the case of spatial problems, engaging in an incubation activity is likely to result in more efficient performance.

A Study of Problem-Solving Strategies and Errors in Inequalities for Junior High School Students The aim of this study is to investigate students in learning in inequalities with one unknown, as well as to collect corresponding strategies and errors in problem solving. The subjects of this study were nine-grade students from junior high school. Six classes were selected from three schools with total of 204 students. This investigator used a paper-and-pencil test in first round data collection. In the second round, some students were interviewed, to further understand students¡¦ way of thinking and reasons in errors produced in problem-solving procedures. Hopefully, results can be used as reference for junior high school math teacher to plan future teaching and to prepare teaching materials. The results of the study are three: students solved linear inequalities by using 12 different strategies; students¡¦ errors can be divided into 11 types; and, the reasons for errors are mainly understanding and transforming information from problems and the determination on solutions. The students also found it difficult to understand negative fractions and negative decimals relationships (no matter in word problems or in calculation problems). In this study, those who fail to solve problems involving inequalities with one unknown are those who cannot translate algebraic expressions or keywords. They produced errors 5 typical cases: determining objectives, integrating mathematics knowledge, using a problem solving method, calculating process, and, determining solution.

Solving complex problems is integral to science. Despite the importance of this type of problem solving, little research has been done on how collaborative teams of expert scientists and teams of informed novices solve problems in environmental science and how experiences of this type affect the novices’ understandings of the nature of science (NOS) and the novices’ teaching. This study addresses these questions: (1) how do collaborative teams of scientists with distributed expertise and teams of informed novices with various levels of distributed expertise solve complex environmental science issues using web-based information and information technology (IT) analysis tools? and, (2) how does working in a collaborative scientific team improve informed novices’ understandings of the nature of authentic scientific inquiry and impact their classroom inquiry products? This study was conducted during Cohort II of the Information Technology in Science project within the Sustainable Coastal Margins scientific group. Over two summers, four environmental scientists from various disciplines led ten science teacher and graduate student participants in learning how each discipline approaches and solves environmental problems. Participants were also instructed about NOS by science educators and designed an inquiry project for use in their classroom. After performing a pilot study of the project, they revised it during the second summer and the entire experience culminated with diverse teams problematizing and solving environmental issues. Data were analyzed using statistical and qualitative techniques. Analysis included evaluation of participants’ responses to a NOS pre- and posttest, their inquiry projects, interviews, and final projects. Results indicate that scientists with distributed expertise approach solving environmental problems differently depending on their backgrounds, but that informed novice and expert teams used similar problem-solving processes and had similar difficulties. As a result of the project, I developed a model of distributed group problem solving for environmental science. Participants’ understandings of NOS improved and matured after instruction and experience working with scientists. The level of most instructional products was “guided inquiry.” The implications are that working with scientists along with direct NOS instruction is beneficial for teachers and science graduate students for their understanding of scientific problem solving, but that much more work needs to be done to achieve authentic inquiry in science classrooms at both secondary and post-secondary levels.

Adolescence is marked with many changes in the development of higher order thinking skills. As students enter high school they are expected to utilize these skills to solve problems, become abstract thinkers, and contribute to society. The goal of this study was to assess horticultural science knowledge achievement and attitude toward horticulture, science, and school in high school agriculture students. There were approximately 240 high school students in the sample including both experimental and control groups from California and Washington. Students in the experimental group participated in an educational program called “Hands-On Hortscience” which emphasized problem solving in investigation and experimentation activities with greenhouse plants, soilless media, and fertilizers. Students in the control group were taught by the subject matter method. The activities included in the Hands-On Hortscience curriculum were created to reinforce teaching the scientific method through the context of horticulture. The objectives included evaluating whether the students participating in the Hands-On Hortscience experimental group benefited in the areas of science literacy, data acquisition and analysis, and attitude toward horticulture, science, and school. Pre-tests were administered in both the experimental and control groups prior to the research activities and post-tests were administered after completion. The survey questionnaire included a biographical section and attitude survey. Significant increases in hortscience achievement were found from pre-test to post-test in both control and experimental study groups. The experimental treatment group had statistically higher achievement scores than the control group in the two areas tested: scientific method (p=0.0016) and horticulture plant nutrition (p=0.0004). In addition, the students participating in the Hands-On Hortscience activities had more positive attitudes toward horticulture, science, and school (p=0.0033). Students who were more actively involved in hands-on projects had higher attitude scores compared to students who were taught traditional methods alone. In demographic comparisons, females had more positive attitudes toward horticulture science than males; and students from varying ethnic backgrounds had statistically different achievement (p=0.0001). Ethnicity was determined with few students in each background, 8 in one ethnicity and 10 students in another. Youth organization membership such as FFA or 4-H had no significant bearing on achievement or attitude.

Thesis (M. Ed.(Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.