Principles of Problem Solving PPS-10 Awareness (Adapted from MPS1 Don Woods 2003) Pre-class assignment 1.

Read sections What is It?, Why Do It?, New Concepts, How to Do It, and Learning Objectives 2. Be able to describe the roles of Problem Solver and Listener when called on What is it? Awareness is the ability to describe your thought processes as you solve problems. New Concepts Awareness, Whimbey Pairs Why Do It? A good problem solver is aware of how their thoughts relate to the problem, recognize when they have hit a dead end, and have strategies for getting back on track. Looking at what is going on in your head is called Awareness. You will be learning a method that has been shown to help people be better problem solvers. Thinking is a skill, like playing golf. People who want to get better at golf sometimes watch their swing on video. Analysis of the video can help them see what is going well and what is going poorly. This exercise can be viewed videotaping your thought processes. And like the video of your golf swing, viewing your thought processes may not be pretty, but it should be useful. How to Do It The technique to do this (called TAPPS Whimbey pair) is to Form into pairs One person is the problem solver One person is the listener The Problem Solver Gathers the needed tools (chair, table, pencil, paper, calculator ) Reads the problem aloud Tries to solve the problem while continually describing that internal process aloud Avoid long silences, dont worry as much about the quality of your words, just keep describing Write things down, short term memory is a limited buffer. The Listener The listener is there to LISTEN, to encourage and keep the problem solver talking, not to solve the problem. Thus, you will Make encouraging noises (yes, go on, umhhhm) Ask for clarification (Im not sure I understand, could you go through that again) Encourage accuracy (Are you sure, can you check that)

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Learning Objectives and Assessment Given an exercise, you will be able to verbally describe the mental processes you are using to solve the exercise such that there will be fewer than two silent periods of more than 10 s duration. Given that you are the listener in the TAPPS Whimbey pair method, the feedback from the listener will be that you were within two scale ratings of about what I wanted on both the degree of interaction and the tone of the interaction. Given that you are the problem solver in the TAPPS Whimbey pair method, the feedback from the listener will be that you are within two scale ratings of being active, methodical and careful and that you check and double check as you describe the process.

In-Class Task 1 When told to begin: Form Pairs The first problem solver has last name later in the alphabet Problem solver selects problem from the following list and tries to solve it Listener plays the role described above (How to Do It) At end of allotted time: Stop problem solution, even if you are not finished Problem Solver evaluates self on their own Problem Solver Feedback Form (marks appropriate number with initials; writes comments) Listener evaluates self on their own Listener Feedback Form Listener evaluates problem solver on Problem Solvers Awareness Evidence Form Problem solver evaluates Listener on Listeners Listener Feedback Form Task 2 When told to begin: Switch roles of problem solver and listener Problem solver selects new problem from the following list and tries to solve it Listener plays the role described above (How to Do It) At end of allotted time Stop problem solution, even if you are not finished Problem Solver evaluates self on their own Problem Solver Feedback Form (marks appropriate number with initials; writes comments) Listener evaluates self on own Listener Feedback Form Listener evaluates problem solver on Problem Solvers Awareness Evidence Form Problem solver evaluates Listener on Listeners Listener Feedback Form Reflect

Each individual fills out the Personal Reflection form

Task 3 Repeat Tasks 1 and 2 with technical problem and Problem Solver should focus on accuracy, not time. Listener should be prompting with Are you sure comments.

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PPS-10 Assignment 1 Submit a memo that assesses your progress from this exercise. Assess with respect to the learning objectives. You must submit evidence that supports your assessment (this can be attached to the memo). Evidence may include the following: Marked up problem Scratch paper with problem solution notations Awareness evidence form Feedback listener form Written work done in other classes Memo Format: MEMO Date: To: From: Re: mm/dd/yy Course Instructor Student Personal Assessment MPS1

With respect to Learning Objective 1, the attached ____ Form shows that I have . With respect to Learning Objective 2, I am able to . Evidence for this includes attached example from Math xyz and ___ Form in which three examples of . are shown.

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Problem Solver Feedback Form Both the Problem Solver, PS, and the Listener will fill in this form. Each will write their initials near the number that best represents their assessment. Comments can be made by either person.

1st Problem
Problem Solver: ________________ Listener:___________________ 1 0 1. Number of silent periods longer than ten seconds 5 4 3 2 2. PS was focused on accuracy No check of answers 5 4 Some checking 3 2

All assumptions and answers checked 1 Significant use of notes, tables, pictures 1

3. The PS was active in writing/charting No written Some marking notes notes, pictures 5 4 3 Comments:

2nd Problem
Problem Solver: ________________ Listener:___________________ 1 0 1. Number of silent periods longer than ten seconds 5 4 3 2 2. PS was focused on accuracy No check of answers 5 4 Some checking 3 2

All assumptions and answers checked 1 Significant use of notes, tables, pictures 1

3. The PS was active in writing/charting No written Some marking notes notes, pictures 5 4 3 Comments:

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Awareness Feedback Form Problem solving style During this experience, you observed someone else solving problems and you became aware of what you did when you solved problems. Here are some characteristics that may be observed. Without consultation with your partner, characterize yourself by putting your initials on the following scales. Then swap Forms and characterize your partner. The numbers are just a scale, 10 is not best, nor is 1. Initial response is: 0 1 2 3 OK, lets get at this Emphasis is on: 0 1 2 Speed 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Oh, its one of those problems Cant I try another one? 7 8 9 10 Accuracy

You: 0 1 2 3 4 Work quickly through the problem, sometimes assuming previous ideas are OK You: 0 1 2 3 4 Maintain a holistic view. solve the whole problem, do not consider subproblems When stuck you: 0 1 2 3 4 Go back and check things Through again and continue You do your thinking: 0 1 2 3 In your head 4

8 9 10 Check and double check so it takes a long time to complete the problem 8 9 10 Quickly identify parts and break into parts tackle these one at a time 8 9 10 Make a good guess

8 9 10 With pencil and paper

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PPS-10 Feedback for the Listener Form: Both the Problem Solver, PS, and the Listener will fill in this form. Each will write their initials near the number that best represents their assessment.

1st Problem
Problem Solver: ____________ 1. The listener Was Silent No Feedback 5 Listener:_____________ Kept the PS Talking 3 Talked too much Distracted PS 1 Too often 2 1 Solving the Problem 1

2. The listeners asked the PS to check Never Sometimes About right 5 4 3

3.. The listeners emphasis was on: Listening Helping PS Verbalize and Check 5 4 3 2

2nd Problem
Problem Solver: ____________ 1. The listener Was Silent No Feedback 5 Listener:_____________ Kept the PS Talking 3 Talked too much Distracted PS 1 Too often 2 1 Solving the Problem 1

2. The listeners asked the PS to check Never Sometimes About right 5 4 3

3.. The listeners emphasis was on: Listening Helping PS Verbalize and Check 5 4 3 2

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PPS 10 Awareness Activities 1. In a different language, luk eir lail means heavy little package, bo lail means heavy man and luk jo means pretty package. How would you say little man in this language? 2. Salesmen who work for the ACME Wig Company are assigned to a different city each year. Henry began working for ACME in New York in 1965, and in the succeeding 4 years worked in Minneapolis, New Haven, Youngstown and Charleston in that order. Peter worked for ACME in New Haven in 1963 and in succeeding years worked in New York, Charleston, Minneapolis, and Youngstown. Fred worked for ACME in Charleston in 1967. The previous two years he worked first in New Haven and then in Minneapolis. John worked in Charleston in 1968. Before that he worked in New Haven, before that Youngstown and before that in New York. Which ACME salesmen were in New Haven in 1967? Which ones were in Minneapolis in 1966? 3. On a certain day, I ate lunch at Tommys, took out two books from the library (The Sea Wolf and Martin Eden, both by Jack London), visited a museum and had a cavity filled. Tommys is closed on Wednesday, the library is closed on weekends, the museum is only open Monday, Wednesday and Friday and my dentist has office hours Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. On which day of the week did I do all of these things? 4. Sally loaned $7 to Betty, but borrowed $15 from Estella and $32 from Joan. Moreover, Joan owes $3 to Estella and $7 to Betty. One day the girls got together at Bettys house to straighten out their accounts. Which girl left with $18 more than she came in with? 5. The number of cows owned by Farmer Smith is the number owned by Farmer Thompson divided by the number owned by Farmer Jones. Farmer Thompson, who owns 42 cows, would own 8 times as many cows as Farmer Jones if he owned 14 more cows. How many cows does Farmer Smith own? 1-5 reprinted courtesy of A. Whimbey and J. Lochhead. 6. Two skaters of equal weight are facing each other on a frozen pond. The ice is very smooth and practically frictionless. Neither skater is allowed to dig in his/her skates. Skater A is stronger than skater B. A pushes B. Describe what you think will happen. a) they will move away from each other with equal velocity. b) A will move forward and B will move backward. B really moves backwards very fast because B is weaker. c) A will go backwards and B will go backwards but A wont go as fast as B because the force of As push is greater than Bs. Indeed, A pushed B, B didnt push A. 7. The value of gc in the American Engineering System is: a) 32.2 b) 32.2 ft lb/lb s2 c) 32.2 ft lbf/lbm s2 d) 32.2 ft lbm/lbf s2 e) 32.2 ft/s2 f) depends on the location (for example the moon) g) other

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