Problem Solving 101

Is it possible to train today’s students to become intrinsic learners? One professor at Regent University, Dr. Lou, simply says NO. But are we as educators able to create problem solvers? Hopefully the answer to that statement is yes. Being a career switcher, I know how important it is to train our students to go beyond the “I’m stuck” mentality. Employers want employees who are able to find the answer. Employers today do not have the time to explain everything in complete detail. Many times in web design I will tell my students to Google it. I also train my students in how to use F1 in the various applications we are using to find help when they get stuck. Do they get frustrated with me at times? Well, yes, but I know they will be thankful one day. And the look on their face when they finally figure out how to do the unknown is priceless. Amy Cavender in her article, Encouraging Students’ Digital Problem-Solving Skills, agrees that we need to allow students to problem solve. She continues, “Too many students, too often, will stop as soon as they get stuck.” I try to encourage them to continue by simply asking what are they going to do when they get to the SAT and get stuck. Do they stop the test and ask for an answer? No, they have to persevere. Life is hard at times and we need to strive onward. In middle school our job is to train our students to be successful in high school. In high school our job is to train them to be successful in either the “real world” or college.

In closing, let’s all strive to take our students to the next level of thinking. How do you do this very thing in your classroom? Please share your successes and failures. As mentioned in the Great Lakes Technology Camp, lets train our “net generation” to go beyond “button pushing.”

Works Cited

Cavender, By Amy. "Encouraging Students' Digital Problem-Solving Skills - ProfHacker - The Chronicle of Higher Education." Home - The Chronicle of Higher Education. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/encouraging-students-digital-problem-solving-skills/24372>.

"Instructional Strategies for Teaching Technology That Go beyond “button Pushing.” - Great Lakes THAT Camp." Great Lakes THAT Camp - The Humanities & Technology Camp. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.greatlakesthatcamp.org/2010/03/instructional-strategies-for-teaching-technology-that-go-beyond-button-pushing/>.