Window on Resources: Computer Materials, Books, Products

1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 380-384
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Mathematics Problem Solving ◽  
Narrative Story ◽  
Mathematics Problem

This module is one episode in a nineepisode laserdisc series designed to develop mathematics problem-solving skills for middle school students. It is a narrative story that concludes with a problem for students to solve.

A Modeling Approach for Enhancing Problem Solving in the Middle Grades

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 470-475
Author(s):  
Beverly J. Ferrucci ◽  
Ban-Har Yeap ◽  
Jack A. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Word Problems ◽  
Middle Grades ◽  
School Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Modeling Approach ◽  
Standards Documents

Modeling is a flexible, powerful, and engaging tool for middle school students to use to enhance their problem-solving skills. In this article, we describe one teacher's first efforts to develop her students' modeling expertise in a variety of arithmetic word problems. This modeling approach emanates, in part, from our observations of Singapore schools and curricula during the year 2001. We initially describe some of the basis for modeling that is grounded in current research and standards documents.

Cognitive Aspects of Science Problem Solving: Two Mediated Learning Experience Based Programs

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaron Schur ◽  
Alex Kozulin
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Mediated Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Psychological Tools ◽  
Mediated Learning Experience

Data generated by international science examinations such as TIMSS and PISA indicated that many students failed to solve science tasks not because of their lack of specific scientific knowledge, but because of poor general problem solving skills. The present study was triggered by the need to introduce middle-school students to strategies and techniques of working with unfamiliar material and using general symbolic tools. Feuerstein’s theory of Mediated Learning Experience and Vygotsky’s concept of psychological tools served as a theoretical basis for two intervention programs: The first program connected content-neutral cognitive tasks with TIMSS-like science tasks, while the second one offered students a new scientific experience Thinking Journey to the Moon. Middle-school students were pre- and posttested by TIMSS-like tasks that required minimal prior scientific knowledge. Both programs proved to be effective in improving students’ problem solving and the ability to justify their answers, though reflective ability continued to be weaker than problem solving. The relative importance of mediated learning experience vs. specific problem solving tasks is discussed.

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