Exploring Collaborative Problem Solving

(Teaching the iGeneration pages 175-218)

In this section of the presentation, participants will explore the characteristics of collaborative problem solving efforts. Specifically, we’ll be looking at how wikis can help students to work together to craft convincing solutions to Type 3 problems—or problems with no clear answers.

Structuring Student Problem Solving Efforts

While collaborative problem solving is the best way to come up with innovative solutions, students in school need structures when evaluating problems and their potential solutions.  They need to understand that good problem solvers always build their background knowledge and sense of context before brainstorming solutions.

These steps to problem solving are often ignored in schools. We want students to come up with innovative solutions on their own instead of exploring an issue thoroughly ahead of time.

The following documents  are designed to structure student problem solving efforts.  Review them and determine just how valuable they would be in your work with students.

Understanding the Problem

Evaluating Potential Solutions

Rating Potential Solutions

Exploring Wikis in Action

Often, the most challenging task for teachers interested in starting classroom wiki projects is imagining what’s possible. Without a clear vision of how wikis can be used to facilitate the work they are doing with students, teachers can end up struggling to structure a successful wiki experience. Use this handout to evaluate several examples of student wiki projects and to collect ideas about the kind of projects that you’d like to pursue.

You may be particularly interested in this wiki, created by session presenter Bill Ferriter's sixth grade students during a study of global warming. 

Structuring Student Wiki Work

Working with a partner, explore the Characteristics of Quality Wiki Pages, Wiki Roles for Student Groups, Wiki Tasks for Student Groups and Wiki Scoring Rubric documents in your session handouts.  What are the strengths of the documents? Weaknesses? What would you change about the documents?

What Will YOU Take Away from These Lessons?

Now that we've worked through our lessons on collaborative problem solving, it's time to do a bit of reflecting. What lessons did you learn here that you think you'll be able to use in your classroom immediately? Was there anything that made real sense? Is there anything that you’re still struggling to understand? What questions about collaborative problem solving remain unanswered for you?

Record your thinking in our shared TiG Reflection document by clicking this link.

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