Evaluating and Identifying Online Resources

 

This week we have been reading about the brain and the learning process.  An important and crucial factor could be the difficulties that a student encounters when it comes to decision-making and solving problems.  We need to start teaching for success.  Understanding the way our students learn, makes us aware of the importance of providing multiple experiences in the classroom that will address the different learning styles and will motivate and keep our class engaged.  Today, I will present some articles that called my attention while learning how to guide my students to solve problems.  

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http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/think/methods.htm

Teaching problem-solving methods involves to use of creative thinking; in other words to generate ideas and critical thinking or evaluating ideas.  Both aspects are necessary to be able to solve problems.  Talking about solving problems not necessary requires inventing a big thing, is the ability to make a change using the information we know.  To solve a problem we are looking to a change that will make things better.  To teach our students to solve problems the teacher needs to understand the way the students learn and provide opportunities for them to build background knowledge and make connections to apply this information into a new one.  This article defines problem-solving strategies and provides us with links to study the terms presented.  It is an easy way for teachers to get started.

http://youthdevelopment.suite101.com/article.cfm/problem_solving_skills_for_teens

This article provides us with simple steps that could be used to guide our students to solve problems.  I found it interesting the way that we can have the students learn these steps without making it to complicated for them.  These steps include:  

• Defining the problem
• Brainstorming
• Evaluating options
• Making a plan of action
• Evaluation and modification

Teaching our students to make good choices is always a challenge.  Finding the way to make this option possible for them will help them take part of the decision they make and not fall into group pressure.

References:

Problem Solving Skills for Teens: Teaching Kids Decision-Making Strategies. (n.d.). Youth Development. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from http://youthdevelopment.suite101.com/article.cfm/problem_solving_skills_for_teen

Problem-Solving Skills (and methods) in Education & Life. (n.d.). The American Scientific Affiliation: Discussion of science and Christianity, ethics, apologetics, creation and evolution, the Bible and science. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/think/methods.htm