Field Study - Fall 2008 - Clayton Willms Logic & Computer Programming to Increase Problem Solving Skills "Knowledge and skills need in the real world are not aquired in a compartmentalized fashion and held in tact in order to pass a test.  They are dynamic, and interact with other knowledge and skills on a multidisciplinary continuum...It is rare indeed when any problem encountered in real life has ony one right answer and no unintended outcomes.  Teaching students to rely upon finding 'the only right answer' creates students who are narrow, and easily frustrated with the complexities of solving real problems in real life."  (Putnam, 4) Synopsis          It seems that many students have a tendency to give upon a problem (real world or not) when they hit the smallest of snags.  I would like to investigate new teaching methods and technologies that will improve a student’s ability to investigate and solve a problem. Personally, I feel great satisfaction when I face a problem that I don’t know how to solve, try some different methods, and come up with a solution.  I would like to instil this same drive in my students. See revised Fall Action Plan.  -->CPW Fall Action Plan revised.pdf Inquiry Questions How can I use different teaching methods andtechnologies to help improve my student’s abilities in problem solving? a.    What are some of the possible tools available tohelp improve problem solving skills? b.    How does integrating projects that use Booleanlogic improve problem solving skills? Baseline Data         1) Google Docs Surveys - The actual surveys can be found here and here.                                         - The raw data from my surveys can be found here and here.         To collect some baseline data, I created a few surveys at google docs and had the students go online from our classroom website.  I found this surprisingly more difficult than I thought.  Many of the questions that I created were heavily biased and I only changed them after some help from my fellow teachers.  Even after multiple people previewing the questions, the results that I recieved were, often, not what I expected.  I felt that the surveys ended up being quite useful, however, and have compiled the information into a number of pie charts that show the percetions of my students relating to problem solving.  The other note that I wanted to make was that I found compiling the information was also more difficult than I thought.  I would often finish the graph only to find that it, in essence, had very little or nothing to do with my field study focus.   An example of this chart is below.  What this has to do with problem solving?  I do not know. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------         The first survey that I collected was very close to the beginning of the year.  It was designed to help me get to know more about the way my students.  A few of the baseline data charts that did give me some ideas are below. Analysis:         In my first survey I put in a question about what the students wanted to be when they grow up.  I hadn't even planned on using this question as a part of my study.  I just wanted to get to know the students better.  As I was analysing the data, though, I thought about how some of the careers the kids focussed on required a high degree of problem solving skills.  It could be argued (I would be first in line) that problem solving skills are needed in any career but for the purposes of this graph I divided the career choices into two categories based upon what I thought would be the greater focus.  The Artistic Ability category contains careers such as actor, singer, artist, chef, and any pro sports.  The Problem Solving category contained jobs such as vet, doctor, lawyer, and teacher.           a)  The first thing I noticed was that the pie chart was about half and half.  This becomes more significant when you look at the next chart which has Mathematical/Logical learners (one of the more logical problem solver category) at less than 1/3 of students.   This showed me that there is a need for problem solving skills practice.         b)  The second thing that I noticed is not directly to do with this field study but something that supports my belief in the program our school is running.  We want to use the arts to study across curriculum boundaries and this graph shows that a large number of our students have long term interests that are not directly involved with the four arts.  The program is often portrayed as a Fine Arts school but this shows that the program appears to be fulfilling the mandate of integrating the arts. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analysis:         There is, undoubtedly, more than one multiple intelligence that students learn from.  Indeed, this is why they are called multiple intelligences.  Many people have quite a number of intelligences that they act on all the time.           a) What surprised me about the results of this graph was the large section depicting logical/mathematical learners.  I would have expected it to have been quite a bit 'thinner' for these students.  It makes me wonder if they are filling out the form with how they would like to see themselves instead of analysing how they really are.         b) The other thing that surprised me was the low numbers of linguistic learners.  Both of our grade  divisions have avid readers in them and I expected this to be a higher number. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------         The second survey was collected in late September and was designed to give me more specific data regarding the student's views on problem solving. Analysis:         a) Students percieve the words 'Problem Solving' and 'Math Problems' as similar, if not the exact same thing.  The 'general feelings about problem solving' bar and the 'perception on math problem ability' bars are not identical but they are close enough in height to be significant.  Is this a big part of the problem?         b) Unfortunately, there is more evidence on this graph that either my questions were biased or that there is an inherent flaw in ranking concepts and feelings on a 1 to 5 scale.  The way this graph looks makes me think that virtually any question I ask will end up with the lopsided bell curve seen in the graph. Field Study Actions         1) Teaching and Implementing Scratch "Just like mathematical algorithms, computer algorithms however simple, employ logical steps which will result in the desired conclusion.  In particular the use of the "if" structure and the recursive nature of the "for" and "while"  loops will help students to develop logical thinking." (Wieschenberg, 1)         Scratch, if you don't already know, is a free program  built by a group at M.I.T. to help foster the creative and problem solving abilities of kids.  It is, essentially, a boolean based programming language.  The major difference between Scratch and other languages is that Scratch uses preprogrammed visual blocks that snap together to create programming scripts.  A script is just a list of commands that the computer follows. "The rewards in using the computer are immediate.  Running the program that the student has just written will allow him/her to "see" if it has worked or not.  More often than not, the program will contain logical errors and debugging the program will allow the student to think about the logical flow of the program again and find where the problem occurred. (The computer will not pick up logical errors!)  Students have an unlimited number of opportunities to correct the algorithm and execute the program over and over again until the error is discovered at which point a new concept is learned.  Chances are that the same mistake will not be made at a following example where the same or a similar technique could be employed."  (Wieschenberg, 2) KC's Project    Punam's Project Tanner's Project         2) Chess Club         This was an unexpected and quickly implemented test that I thought might help me to see if students are interested in puzzling and problem solving outside of class.  I began a chess club at lunch because I wanted to see if the same students who really excelled in using Scratch (naturally mathmatical/logical thinkers) would be the primary members of the club.         A Good Mix         The group of students is surprisingly mixed.  Whether this is due to my marketing for the club, the nasty weather outside recently, or if they really wanted to continue improving their problem solving skills through a logic game, I do not know.   There is a link, though, between those who are high on the ladder and those that found Scratch a natural fit. Post Data         1) Student Surveys         Analysis:         This really lends weight to the claim that Scratch can help students to learn how to problem solve.  Although there were frustrations expressed over the course of the unit, it seems that students enjoyed the process and the creative outlet that the program provides.         2) Audio Recordings - I found a pretty interesting classroom tool that I figured may help me to collect data (both for this field study and for future assessment in the classroom).  It is the H2 Handy Recorder.  I emailed the link to James Klassen (one our our Technology Helping Teachers) who went out and purchased it.  He immediately loaned it to me and I used it for multiple different assessments over the few weeks that I had it.  (On a side note, this really is an excellent, easy to use tool for assessment in the classrom.)  One of the sessions was specifically about using the Scratch program.  The session was broken up into 3 main sections, all of which are fairly open ended.  I tried not to moderate too much because I wanted to influence the results as little as possible.  The first section was the result of my inquiry into what the students liked about Scratch.  The second was about what they found difficult or frustrating.  The third section focussed on how the students percieved Scratch to help them understand what we are studying (it's educational value).  To listen to the raw audio data, click here.  (WARNING - LARGE FILE SIZE)         3) Fishbowl Discussions - This is a large focus group format I often use in debates and discussions.  After working with scratch, I sat down with the alpha division and typed the things that I heard from the group in response to questions that I asked as moderator.  The questions were similar to the questions posed to the beta division's audio recording session from above.  To see the full text in pdf, click here -->Fishbowl Discussion – October 27th.pdf Themes         The main themes that I discovered when analyzing the data from my study are below.         Students Enjoy Creating         This was a new way of showing their knowledge on many subjects and the different creative outlook was appreciated by kids.  This is important because they forget about the idea that they are trying to improve their problem solving skills and just enjoy the act of creation.  This act, of course, is closely linked with the ability to see many different outcomes and possibilities and, therefore, improves problem solving without the concious effort to do so.   "The principal barriers to a society of better problem solvers may simply be that too few teachers are attempting to teach students the skills of creativity."  (Doolittle, 35)         “I like that you can actually control the computer.  Tell it what to do.”         “I like the creative aspect of scratch.”         “It can really represent you because it’s your own ideas that come out in the program.”         “I like that you can make two characters chase each other and make them change and it’s really cool how you can make them do different things.  It’s like I’m controlling the computer instead of the computer controlling you.”         Improving Self-Esteem                  Students found that when they finally came through and solved a problem that was plaguing their program, they felt better about themselves.  This sense of accomplishment gave them energy and enthusiasm to try new things and not to be quite so afraid of the unknown.         “I like it because it’s taught me patience.  Nothing happens right away.  You have to work for it.”         “There is no magic genie to make things work”         “It makes me proud of myself because I have to figure it out.”         The Program is Challenging         Students recognized that the program was making them think in a different and challenging way.  Some appreciated this, some missed the point entirely, and others reconized it but were not happy about how the program 'forced' them to figure out solutions. "Cognitive flexibility, which is defined as the ability to generate several categories of possible solutions, is identified as the most critical aspect of creativity training."  (Doolittle, 33)         “I like it because it’s a challenge.  A challenge helps things to be fun and not boring.”         “It makes you think. It doesn’t just do things for you. You have to see how it’s working and if it’s not, you have to figure out why it’s not and fix it.”         “I sometimes gets me all worked up, not calmed down because I can’t figure out how to do something in the program.”         “You don’t always get what you want.  It is hard to figure out sometimes.”         “Sometimes I get angry and sit there for a minute.  Then I go back and try to figure outhow I can change the script to make it work.”         “…but you gotta admit that the computer can be really stubborn.  It won’t do what you want it to do.”                  Changes in Thinking         A number of students showed specific changes in thinking after using the program for a longer period of time.  Some of these changes include a greater interest in how common things around them work and how their skill sets have changed as a result of working with the program.  I would think that this change in curiosity is also linked to a greater understanding of problem solving because interest in a subject is imperative to having the drive to actually solve a problem related to that subject.         “It is educational because it teaches us to be patient and how to solve problems.  I think that it will help us for the future because of the skills it gives us.”         “Well, if I can’t get it working then I try something else to get it working.  I’ll change the script in some way or change the sprites and try it again.”         “Scratch makes me look at things on TV and in video games and think about how they were made.”          “You can make you work look like fun.  Like for example, in math today, instead of marking and doing everything in our notebooks, perhaps we could create a program in scratch that shows how we know stuff.”         “I try not to get mad but I try all the other possibilities and see what happens.  But first, I think about what I’m doing and review what I did to get to where I am.”                  This next quote is related to changes in thinking and is quite comical.  We know as teachers that one of the best ways to learn and improve is by teaching someone else.  This student obviously has not yet picked up on that concept and so seems to contradict himself.  This is especially comical if you think about how some of the best learning is self-directed, not spoon fed.         “Scratch isn’t educational because it doesn’t teach you anything.  It doesn’t show you anything.  You have to figure out how to make everything happen.  If you showed something to someone else, it could be educational for them but not for you.” Summary of Learning "The integration of technology in the classroom must be student centered with students actively engaged in using technology.  Therefore, students should be allowed the opportunities to use educational technology to complete assignments and develop projects and presentations.." (White, 68) The Right Tool for the Job:         Scratch, as a tool to improve problem solving, works as well or better than other techniques I’ve tried in the past. The reason I chose it above the many others available (Miranda, Perl, Python, C++, Java, Cocoa) is four-fold. The first reason is that it has been specifically designed for use by kids.  Scratch, if you don't already know, is a free program built by a group at M.I.T. to help foster the creative and problem solving abilities of kids. It is, essentially, a Boolean based programming language.  The major difference between Scratch and other languages is that Scratch uses preprogrammed visual blocks that snap together to create programming scripts. A script is just a list of commands that the computer follows.  This snap together block system makes it easy for kids to drag and drop a program together.  There is very little text typing required which is great because this is where many students struggle.  The second reason is that it is free and already included on our computers at the school.  Also, it works for Mac and PC so the students can take their work home with them on their flash drive and continue there. The third reason is that the Scratch website allows me to build an online community of learners. Students can upload their projects and have others critique or even download them.  The fourth reason is that I already know how the program works.  I’ve created many of my own Scratch projects and have no problems helping the students understand how it works.  This was immensely helpful in my field study because, once I knew my focus was going to work, I could get going right away collecting and implementing data. Problems in Problem Solving:         Working on improving problem solving skills is not an easy task.  It requires an extreme amount of patience from both myself as the teacher and the students.  Students must be willing to venture into the unknown and take educational risks in order to succeed.  This is not always the easiest thing to get middle school children to do as they are, very often, self-conscious about their actions.  Teaching problem-solving skills requires skill at problem solving myself.  There are many possible solutions and a single solution is never the correct solution all the time.  Just as there are thirty unique personalities in my classroom, there are often thirty different mini-problems about how best to teach problem solving to that individual. Creativity & Problem Sovling:  Long Lost Twins         "The principal barriers to a society of better problem solvers may simply be that too few teachers are attempting to teach students the skills of creativity." (Doolittle, 35)          Creativity and problem solving are linked closely together.  This is not a new concept and I have read it before but this study has helped me to see it directly.  Those students who are exceptionally creative made the transition to the use of logic and computer programming very well.  They are also the students that I find to be naturally good problem solvers. Understanding of Formative Assessment         I regularly use formative assessment near the beginning of the year to help shape what I’m going to be teaching and how best to teach it.  This study, though, has helped me better understand the power of having students involved in their own assessment.  In the past, I have focussed only on some writing samples and some pre-tests.  The online surveys are especially helpful as an assessment tool because of how well they compile information and how eager the students are to give their opinions and thoughts in that setting.   Meeting an Old Friend         I used to focus so much on using multiple intelligences in my classroom.  Perhaps over the few years, it has become natural for me to teach using methods that make use of multiple intelligences but this field study has helped me to remember the importance of varying my lessons and projects. GoingDeep The challenges and projects that were created using Scratch were not as deep in their learning as many of my projects where I require students to somehow connect their learning to another subject area or personal area of their life.  I’ve come to realize that many of my integrated technology projects, including the one we focussed on for the study, have more of a surface learning outcome than the deeply integrated and cross subject projects that are completed with tried-and-true methods.  Part of the reason for this, I am sure, is that often we are learning a new technology so more time and effort goes into that than towards the many cross-curricular links that can be achieved in other projects.  I know that students often use the skills that they learn with a new technology in future years or for independent projects, but I would like to plan more time for some of these new technology projects so that they can be as deep as meaningful as other methods. Possible Future Inquiry Questions         1)  The words 'problem solving' and 'math problems' seem to be synonymous among students.  Does this perception impact a student's ability to improve their real life problem solving skills?  Especially if they are predisposed to fear math?         2)  Many students (and adults) flounder and struggle in an environment that is unknown.  How does routine affect a student's ability to learn?  Is there such a thing as too much?  How can an integrated technology help a classroom to run a regular routine?         3)  How can technology be used to further our school's motto of 'Arts for Life' and it's vision to integrate the arts across the curriculum? Bibliography Doolittle, J. (1995, January 1). Using Riddles and Interactive Computer Games to Teach Problem-Solving Skills. Teaching of Psychology, 22(1), 33. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ507454) Retrieved July 14, 2008, from ERIC database. Putnam, A. (2001, December 1). Problem-Based Teaching and Learning in Technology Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED465039) Retrieved July 14, 2008, from ERIC database. Wieschenberg, A. (1999, November 1). Logic via Computer Programming. . (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED460006) Retrieved July 14, 2008, from ERIC database. White, C. (1996, January 1). Merging Technology and Constructivism in Teacher Education. Teacher Education and Practice, 12(1), 62. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ541987) Retrieved July 14, 2008, from ERIC database.