Problem-solving Skills for Students

Teachers can help students develop problem-solving skills by placing them in groups.

Solving problems is an essential skill for students. To survive in today's complex world, youngsters must learn how to think critically and creatively. Teachers and parents can help them identify problems, brainstorm possible solutions and evaluate results of problem-solving efforts. Children who learn problem-solving skills can apply them in the future as they secure jobs and interact with others.

Identifying the Cause of a Problem

Root cause analysis is a problem-solving skill that provides a way to determine the fundamental cause of a problem. For students, using the "five whys" is an effective root cause analysis tool. The teacher can pose a problem, and ask the question, "Why?" five times. Students can work in groups to come up with five causes of the problem. The solutions can then be presented and discussed with the class as a whole. Another problem-solving skill is identifying the relationship between the potential causes of a problem and the effect, which is the problem itself. A cause and effect diagram can show the interaction between causes and the problem, possibly leading the students to a solution.

Brainstorming Possible Solutions

Another skill necessary for problem-solving is brainstorming. You can present students with a problem and place them in groups to brainstorm possible solutions. Teachers must emphasize that all ideas are welcome and are not to be judged adversely or ridiculed during brainstorming. Instead, invite students to "freewheel" and come up with unusual and creative ideas. The more ideas the better, since the greater the number of ideas generated, the better the chances for coming up with a good solution. During brainstorming sessions, students might come up with ideas that are combinations of two or more of the ideas generated.

Organizing Information

What's known as a KWL chart is one way for students to identify what they want to find out when doing research to gather information. To construct a chart, instruct students to divide a paper into three columns. The first column is labeled K, indicating what the student already knows about the research topic. The middle column is the W, what the student wants to learn about the topic. The last column is the L, what the student found out about the topic after researching online and at the library. Students fill in the first two columns before the research and complete the L column afterward.

Teamwork

Learning to work with a team of other students who have different learning styles can be a valuable skill in problem-solving. Some students are visual learners who understand best when dealing with images and written information. Auditory learners do well with discussion, while sociological learners benefit from cooperative learning situations. Some students like hands-on activities, and others do best in informal learning situations. Forming a team of students with different learning styles can help generate a wide range of possible solutions to a problem.

References

• Eric Digest: Problem Solving in Early Childhood Classrooms
• Nondestructive Testing Resource Center: Understanding Different Learning Styles