What now? Is this the best?

1. What now? Is this the best? PROBLEM SOLVING AS A STRATEGY

2. WHY PROBLEM SOLVING AS A STRATEGY : • Learners are: active, goal orientated, develop critical thinking, argumentation, analyse thoughts and applies current knowledge : • Develops higher cognitive skills • Gives solutions that are valid • Develops responsibility • Influences the way you think • Encourages communication • Helps you remember • Indicate that you have comprehended • Suitable for a constructivist classroom

3. LIMITATIONS OF METHOD: • Expects that there will be thorough planning and preparation • Learners do not always understand the problem • Problems must be relevant • Learners that see the teacher as a source of knowledge find it difficult to carry on their own • Dominate learners can cause that the method is not successful

4. CRITERIA DO DETERMINE IF IT WAS SUCCESFUL: • Was the problem important enough? • Were the learners interested? • Do the learner see the relevance of it? • Do the teacher encourage the learners? • Are the learners stimulated? • Is the teacher supportive? SEE NOTES AND WORKSHEET

5. Steps for solving a problem • It is after break and a learners comes to you and tells you that his stomach I aching. What will you do? • A person that passes your house every day with a little truck on his way to work works on the train rails that day and they shift the rails and his leg gets stuck A train is on the way. What will you • See exercise in source 10

6. DISCUSSIONS

7. ACTIVTY TO DO: • Discuss what you understand of discussions as a method of teaching. • Observers write down what you experience. • Give possible solutions for what was experienced. • What do you think went wrong during the discussions?

8. DEFINE DISCUSSIONS It is a orderly conversation between a group of people that results in the interaction between the different parties and ideas that are exchanged to answer a specific question.

9. WHEN AND HOW WILL DISCUSSION BE USED TO ENSURE OPTIMAL LEARNING • To solve a problem • To answer a question • To enhance learners choices during problem solving • Can be used for any level and any subject • The whole class be involved/ or small group discussions • The lesson outcome and activities will determine whether this method is applicable • Talk- listen react • Put more than one point forward for discussion • Will be used with the intention to convey knowledge • Must be within the didactical guidelines • “All must think together ” (see de Bono) • Strive to find the right words during the discussion

10. WHICH SKILLS MUST THE TEACHER POSSESS TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS IN THE CLASSROOM? (154-156) • Listen attentively • Praise when necessary • Explain statements • Reflect and refocus • Paraphrase • Repeat statements • Ask learners to add • Invite learners to ask questions • Involve everybody

11. HINTS •  Spend time to teach learners how to think (De Bono 1985) otherwise it is discussion without a aim • “we do not have a simple language as a control system for thinking” One aspect that he suggests is the technique as a solution to the problem is the “six thinking hats”. • Learners are thought to make choices. • Decide on the topic that will be discussed Example polluted water • Step I: Inform the learners about the problem • Step 2: Debate the issues • Step 3: Allow the learners to debate from different perspectives.

12. Six thinking hats of de bono e Bono

13. Six thinking hats of De Bono

14. Belangrikheiddaarvan: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? • Make use of information in a way that makes sense and is not bias • They can arrange their thoughts • They can distinguish between logic and less logic contributions • They learn independently • They apply problem solving • They question the situation, give their views and make assumptions.

15. DISCUSSIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER TEACHING STRATEGIES • DIRECT TEACHING To find new information on a new topic in a short time • GROUP WORK To work together and to find information on the topic • Cooperative learning Discussions within a group • PROBLEM SOLVING Learners make sense with the problem • LEARNER RESEARCH Provides clarity on certain topics of research • CASE STUDIES Discuss real life situations

16. DURING COMPUTER DISCUSSIONS : • Learners are not intimidated • Work on own time • Have time to correct and to reflect • Are not manipulated • Every one is equal • Encourages and improves writing skills • Can add ideas • Discussion can take long but within a limited time frame

17. AIM OF RESEARCH PROJECT: • Develops research questions and the writing of the research questions • Develop a research strategy • Develop the ability to analyse information, organise and evaluate • Answer research questions • Report on results in graphs • Evaluate the research

18. SKILLS THAT ARE NEEDED: • To obtain information • Logic thinking • Hypotheses or research questions are formulated • Organise ideas • Improve verbal and non verbal skills • Do not be bias during argumentations • Identify mistakes in data and to analyse it • To observe the pattern in the data

19. EIGHT PHASES OF RESEARCH • Make sure you bear the correct aim in mind (what gave rise to the problem) • Develops research questions • Develops a research strategy • Literature study • Collects data (quantitative/qualitative) • Select, organise, analyse and evaluate • Draw a conclusions • Evaluate the effectiveness of the research

20. Plagiarism? How can it take place? Make use of skills: Analyse in the form of a mind map and then synthesise

21. Go to page 31 and measure research against the critical outcomes and effective learning. Take each strategy and analyse the learner’s involvement; • Active • Constructive • Cumulative • Goal orientated • Self regulated learning • Individual different

22. Role play • Why is it important? • Learning environment where learners are motivated • Application of knowledge in real situations • Develop range of communication and social interaction • Opportunity to deal with complex situations • Learners engage actively • Understand the feelings and attitudes of others • Develop self confidence • Encourage to take a deep approach to learning • Explore new situations • Resolve conflict situations • Example: