A problem solving model for use in science student teacher supervision

Conclusion The period of time student teachers have to receive feedback from their supervisors and cooperating teachers is relatively short. Techniques and ideas suggested by university supervisors and cooperating teachers are clearly beneficial to beginning teachers, but the students also need direct experience in addressing classroom concerns themselves. Student teachers need to develop techniques for evaluating their own teaching and for solving instructional problems autonomously such as suggested through the use of this model. The problem solving model forces student teachers to take responsibility for their learning about teaching. It forces them to analyze and reflect on their own lessons and to deal with their own problems. Importantly, the model may serve as a tool for self-evaluation that can be used during students’ first few years of teaching and throughout their science teaching career. Student teachers will still undergo the complex and sometimes overwhelming experience of teaching for the first time. However, by addressing each problem they face in a systematic, organized way, the experience may become more manageable, and success may seem more attainable for them.     

Inquiry training and problem solving in elementary school children

An experiment designed to determine whether children can benefit from directed instruction in the strategies of problem solving.     

Behaviour theory in the nursery school: Problem solving and teacher training

The present study reports an attempt to develop a training programme for nursery school teachers with reference to new developments in behaviour theory. The underlying aim of the training programme is to develop a general problem-solving strategy simple and flexible enough to be used in new problem situations in the four social fields of teacher-child interactions, teacher-teacher interactions, teacher-parent interactions, and the interactions between nursery school and community. The problem-solving strategy is a behavioural sequence which consists of the following stages: problem analysis, selection of goals, selection of modification procedures, application of modification procedures, and evaluation. The training of teachers to solve social problems in the nursery school can also be structured by means of these five steps. The training programme has been developed in close cooperation with the teachers of a nursery school. Some experiences concerning this cooperation and the application of the problem-solving paradigm are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Diese Studie berichtet über einen Versuch, ein Ausbildungsprogramm für Erzieher im Hinblick auf die Entwicklungen in der Verhaltenstheorie zu konstruieren. Dem Ausbildungsprogramm liegt die Absicht zugrunde, eine allgemeine Problemlösungs-Strategie zu entwickeln, die einfach und flexibel genug ist, um in neuen Problemsituationen auf den sozialen Gebieten der Erzieher-Kind, Erzieher-Erzieher und Erzieher-Eltern Beziehungen sowie auf dem der Beziehungen zwischen Kindergarten und Gemeinschaft angewandt werden zu können. Die Problemlösungs-Strategie ist eine Verhaltensfolge und besteht aus den folgenden Phasen: Problemanalyse, Auswahl von Zielen, Auswahl von Abänderungsverfahren, Anwendung der Abänderungsverfahren und Evaluation. Gemäss diesen vier Stufen kann auch die Ausbildung der Erzieher in der Lösung sozialer Probleme im Kindergarten strukturiert werden. Das Ausbildungsprogramm wurde in enger Zusammenarbeit mit den Erziehern an einem Kindergarten entwickelt. Einige Erfahrungen aus dieser Zusammenarbeit und der Anwendung des Problemlösungs-Paradigmas werden besprochen.

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Résumé Cette étude rend compte d'une tentative de développement d'un programme de formation des enseignants des écoles maternelles, compte tenu des nouveaux développements de la théorie du comportement. Le but sous-jacent du programme de formation est de développer une stratégie générale de résolution des problèmes qui soit suffisamment simple et souple pour être utilisée dans les nouvelles situations problématiques, dans les quatre domaines sociaux des interactions enseignant-enfant, enseignant-enseignant, enseignant-parent, et école maternelle-collectivité. La résolution des problèmes est un enchaînement du comportement qui comprend les stades suivants: analyse du problème, choix des objectifs, choix des procédés de modification, application des procédés de modification, évaluation. La formation des enseignants les entraînant à résoudre les problèmes sociaux à l'école maternelle peut aussi être structurée en ces cinq phases.Le programme de formation a été élaboré en étroite coopération avec les enseignants d'une école maternelle. Quelques expériences relatives à cette coopération et concernant l'application du paradigme de résolution des problèmes sont discutées dans cette étude.

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The authors may be contacted at the Staatsinstitut für Frühpädagogik, Arabellastr. I/II, D-8000 München 81, F.R.G.     

Open-ended problem solving in school chemistry: A preliminary investigation

This paper uses a new set of 14 open-ended problems, designed for 14-17-year-old pupils studying chemistry, to attempt to gain some initial insights into the ways pupils solve open-ended chemistry problems. The emphasis is on how concepts and linkages between concepts influence success in solving such open-ended problems. Pupils worked in groups of three attempting to solve the problems and were encouraged to talk freely, to make notes of their progress, and to note their agreed answers. Evaluation sheets were also completed individually by the pupils after each problem. By studying the interactions between pupils by means of written materials, observation and audiotapes, it was possible to build up a picture of the way the pupils approached the problems and to explore some of the reasons for difficulties they experienced. In the light of the evidence, it is suggested that creating the links between 'islands' of knowledge is an important skill in solving open-ended problems and that this skill is not easily achieved by pupils at these ages. The notion that problem solving is a generic skill which can be taught is questioned.     

On the personal growth of school psychologists

Trainers of school psychologists in the United States were surveyed to assess the importance they ascribe to personal growth and interpersonal effectiveness of their trainees. Although results suggest that such qualities are essential for competent practice, the identity of these characteristics, their emphasis in training, and methods of evaluation vary greatly. Trainers and practitioners are challenged to clarify the personal qualities desired in the practice of school psychology and to demonstrate them through example.     

Making sense of genetics: Students' knowledge use during problem solving in a high school genetics class

Interest in including ideas about the nature of science in instruction and research has led to the realization that, in addition to developing courses which offer students experience with science practice, it is important to understand the ways in which students learn and use science knowledge within such courses. The study reported here is based on a particular view of the nature of scientific practice: Science is collaborative; scientists use knowledge in the construction of new knowledge; and scientists' understanding of problems and problem-solving strategies change during knowledge construction. Given this perspective, the study examines the ways in which students in an innovative high school genetics class collaborate to construct knowledge as they develop genetics models. In this classroom, students use three kinds of knowledge: knowledge of genetics, permitting them to recognize anomalous aspects of new data and providing a template from which to develop new models; knowledge of the process of model revision, helping them make decisions about how to develop new models; and knowledge of their own problem-solving strategies, allowing them to “keep track” of what they have done, as well as make connections between the development of new models and their knowledge of genetics. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Explaining the gap in charter and traditional public school teacher turnover rates

This study uses national survey data to examine why charter school teachers are more likely to turnover than their traditional public school counterparts. We test whether the turnover gap is explained by different distributions of factors that are empirically and theoretically linked to turnover risk. We find that the turnover rate of charter school teachers was twice as high as traditional public school teachers in 2003–04. Differences in the distributions of our explanatory variables explained 61.0% of the total turnover gap. The higher proportions of uncertified and inexperienced teachers in the charter sector, along with the lower rate of union membership, were the strongest contributors to the turnover gap. Charter school teachers were more likely to self-report that working conditions motivated their decisions to leave the profession or move schools, although we found no measurable evidence that the actual working conditions of charter and traditional public schools were different.     

Becoming a mathematics teacher: The use of personal construct theory

Since 1981 a study of the way in which prospective mathematics teachers see mathematics teaching has been carried out using procedures derived from Personal Construct Theory (PCT). It was found that PCT procedures were very useful. They gave student teacher another way of analysing and reflecting upon mathematics teaching as he or she changed from university oriented mathematics graduate to school oriented mathematics teacher during the one year teacher education programme. Another conclusion was the PCT procedures could be used to investigate practitioners maxims: to explore the practical basis of mathematics pedagogy. This paper discusses how PCT procedures may be used to assist mathematics teacher and others to study teacher thinking.     

How schools train principals to use new teacher evaluation systems: A comparative case study of charter school and traditional public school principals

Over the past decade U.S. policymakers, practitioners, and researchers have sought to examine if changing teacher evaluation policies and systems have resulted in changes in identifying quality teachers and/or increased student achievement. This research generally shows most states have experienced little change in how teachers are rated. Researchers are now exploring why, in many cases, teacher evaluation reforms have failed to produce the desired systematic changes of better identifying quality teachers and better distinguishing teacher performance. Embedded within this line of inquiry is how principals (and other evaluators) are trained to use new teacher evaluation systems. This comparative case study observed six principals (three charter school principals and three traditional public school principals) in the U.S. state of Michigan as they learned and enacted a new teacher evaluation system. Additionally, all principals were interviewed three times throughout the school year, in an effort to examine how their initial teacher evaluation training impacted their evaluation of teachers. The research questions that guided this work were: (1) how are principals initially trained when their school adopts a new teacher evaluation system?; (2) in what ways does the training received by charter school principals compare to that of traditional public school principals?; and (3) how does initial training impact how principals evaluate teachers? Results indicate principals are trained to navigate the logistics of new teacher evaluation systems, but are not trained to evaluate teacher performance. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.     

Parent–teacher problem solving about concerns in children with autism spectrum disorder: The role of income and race

Problem solving between parents and teachers is critical to maximizing student outcomes. The current study examined the associations among the different components of problem solving, as well as the relationship between various characteristics and problem solving in parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parents and teachers completed a demographic survey, phone interview, and dyad observation. Results indicated that parent and teacher problem solving strategies were correlated with each other. Lower‐income parents and parents interacting with White teachers displayed less problem solving. Findings suggest that school‐based service delivery models to improve problem solving should consider both skill development, as well as the sociodemographic characteristics that parents and teachers bring to their interactions.     

Two alternative roles for the school psychologist in the treatment of emotionally disturbed and autistic children

This paper will describe two alternative roles for the school psychologist working with programs for autistic children or programs for emotionally disturbed children. The first approach is concerned with behavior management of children either by consultation to program staff or by direct work with the child, as well as support of staff through continuous feedback of classroom behavior management techniques. The second approach encompasses all of the first approach, in addition to the psychologist serving as corrdinator for the program and thereby assuming greater responsibility for cooperation between the school and the home, as well as for ongoing program development. A major difference in these two roles of the school psychologist, compared to the traditional role, is an intense involvement with a small number of children and a high level of input into the management, structure, and techniques used in a small number of classrooms. The paper will present a model for both of the two alternative approaches for the school psychologist. The model will include: a format for ongoing behavior assessment, suggestions for the structure of teacher-psychologist feedback sessions, methods of school and home cooperation, and a proposal for a horizontal administrative structure of programs for emotionally disturbed and for autistic children. The concept that is advocated is a team of professionals (teacher and psychologist) planning for the holistic development of the child.     

Junior high school physics: Using a qualitative strategy for successful problem solving

Students at the junior high school (JHS) level often cannot use their knowledge of physics for explaining and predicting phenomena. We claim that this difficulty stems from the fact that explanations are multi‐step reasoning tasks, and students often lack the qualitative problem‐solving strategies needed to guide them. This article describes a new instructional approach for teaching mechanics at the JHS level that explicitly teaches such a strategy. The strategy involves easy to use visual representations and leads from characterizing the system in terms of interactions to the design of free‐body force diagrams. These diagrams are used for explaining and predicting phenomena based on Newton's laws. The findings show that 9th grade students who studied by the approach advanced significantly from pretests to post‐tests on items of the Force Concept Inventory—FCI and on other items examining specific basic and complex understanding performances. These items focused on the major learning goals of the program. In the post‐tests the JHS students performed on the FCI items better than advanced high‐school and college students. In addition, interviews conducted before, during, and after instruction indicated that the students had an improved ability to explain and predict phenomena using physics ideas and that they showed retention after 6 months. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47: 1094–1115, 2010