ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF SOUTH AFRICA (ASSAF) 21/22 nd October 2010 “Mind the Gap Forum”

1. ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF SOUTH AFRICA (ASSAF) 21/22nd October 2010“Mind the Gap Forum” “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Presented by Kabulo LOJI Electrical Power Eng Dept/DUT

2. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Mann:“Instruction was given mainly by lectures, in which the professor present to the class a logically well organized explanation of the general principles and theories of the subject in hand...the students take notes, recite them at regular quiz hours and work on problems that illustrate the principles and theories presented by the lecturer.” 1918

3. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Today, in 2010, how much did this change ? “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results” A. Einstein

4. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Why are we here ? BUT what is learning and how does learning occur? Initial performance Final Performance Teaching (deliberate assistance provided to facilitate learning) (Reif, 2008:4)

5. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” (Reif, 2008:5) Learning can occur spontaneously without the aid of any deliberate assistance = without teaching. Conversely teaching can occur without learning (a situation unfortunately all too familiar in many class rooms)

6. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Perkins D: “Learning in general is a consequence of thinking You will agree that: Learning problem solving is the consequence of high level thinking

7. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” HOW? 1. Teaching Inductively Charts borrowed from Reif

8. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” HOW? 2.Need of Conceptual Framework 3. Use of Mindset Metaphors 4. Basic processes of thinking: Observing-Finding patterns and Generalizing-Form conclusions based on patterns-Assess conclusion based on evidence (Eggen & Kauchak: 1996:52)

9. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” The problem A classroom has a limited capacity of 72 seats (this is just a number) and has a large entrance say of the size of a wall. A huge number of learners are awaiting to get access to the classroom and are separated from the entrance by a huge hole that they can cross only if a bridge is put over the hole and not a single learner wants to miss the class. Initially the bridge is removed

10. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Activity 1: Brainstorming and finding patterns The bridge which was initially removed is placed on the hole to allow access: explain in your own words what is likely to happen and what can you consequently

11. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Activity 1: Brainstorming and finding patterns If anyway the room is full at its capacity, meaning 72 seats, what will happen if we remove the bridge (a) for the 72 learners in the room and (b) for the rest of the learners;

12. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Activity 1: Brainstorming and finding patterns If thereafter the bridge is re-placed can the learners in the room be able to move out? If yes how? If not what can be done to help them to move out?

13. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Activity 2: From metaphor to real application: drawing analogies

14. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” The room is comparable to the plate of the capacitor and the capacity or size of the room is analogue to the capacitance of the capacitor

15. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” • The learners are the charges and their number and movement is analogue to the charging current, • The bridge = switch • Flow of learners = current • Door is R in series with C • Charging time and time constant

16. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Other interventions: • Virtual Lab: Simulation package (2007) • Additional tutorial (2008) • Reviewing problem solving method: insist on the why of the things • Peer mentoring

17. “Integrating Thinking Skills into Subject Content to Improve Engineering Learners’ Problem Solving Abilities” Discussion of results Challenges Areas of improvement

18. Conclusion

19. Thank you for your attention