Course Code ENG1 Instructor Christine Jul T.

Toston, LPT, MA-ENG

Course Title Studying and Email cjtoston.tcc@gmail.com
Thinking Skills address
Course Credits 3 Contact Number 0966-866-516
Course General Education Consultation
Classification Hours
Pre-Requisite(s) None Consultation Faculty Room
Venue

Learning Module 5: Thinking Critically and Problem Solving

Duration of Delivery: October 02-04, 2023
Due Date of Deliverables: October 06, 2023

Lesson 5

Intended Learning Outcomes:

 Identify the main problem, question at issue or the source’s position.

 Identify implicit aspects of the problem and addresses their relationship to each other.
 Address more than one perspective including perspectives drawn from outside information.
 Examine the evidence and source of evidence.
 Relate cause and effect.
 Illustrate existing or potential consequences

The IDEAL Approach to Problem Solving

5. Look back1. Identify The IDEAL approach to problem solving id based on many
and Learnproblems &
opportunities powerful ideas, yet it is not ideal in the sense of being perfect or the
best system that could possibly be created. Nevertheless, it can be very
helpful to those who want to improve their problem-solving skills. The
4. Anticipate
outcomes and
2. Define IDEAL approach is designed to help you identify and understand
goals
Acts
different parts or components of problem solving; each letter in the
3. Explore
word stands for an important component of the problem-solving
possible process.
strategies

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I dentify Problems and OpportunitiesThe Importance of Using
External Representations
The first component of the IDEAL approach is to identify Ladislao Biro and his brother Georg provide another
It is important
potential problems and treat them as opportunities to doto recognize
illustrationthat the problems as opportunities. They
of seeing G
something creative. When problems most effectiveas way
are treated weretoproofreaders
representand spent a great deal of time t
information will depend on the s
opportunities, the result is often a solution
nature or of
invention checking
the problem and for
howerrors.
we d
that otherwise would have eluded you. defineIn fact,our
it can be
goals. To communicate these errors to others, they needed to a
beneficial to actively attempt to identifySome problems that are
problems better
write solved
things down,ifand it was important to write in ink h
one
have gone unnoticed. A common reason for people's uses a verbal representation,
because pencil often fades. However, the only way to write s
failure to identify problems and whereas view them othersas in inkarewas to better
use a fountain pen, which was messy and P
represented visually or perhaps e
opportunities is that they do not stop to think about the time-
mathematically. b
possibility of improving a situation. Instead, they tend to r
Although you are probably not familiar with the
take inconveniences and unpleasant situations for granted
names of these men, you are undoubtedly familiar
and accept them as facts of life. If problems are not
with their invention, the ballpoint pen. The company
identified, solutions to them are unlikely to be proposed.
they created is now part of a corporation known as
BIC.

D efine Goals

Consider the problem of disposing of waste generated

The second aspect of the IDEAL approach to problem
solving is to carefully define your goals in the problem
situation. This is different from identifying the problem.
For example, a group of people could identify the
existence of a general problem and agree that it represents
an opportunity but still disagree about what their goals
should be. Different goals often reflect differences in how
people understand a problem. People often fail to
consider alternative goals when they attempt to solve a
problem.
Instead, they jump immediately
to the exploration of strategies. People do not simply
invent objects (such as a splatter screen to protect against
hot grease) that help them solve various problems. They
also invent or create concepts and ideas, and these
frequently reflect the goals people have in particular
problem situations.
by individuals and businesses. Although there is
general agreement that we are running out of space in
our landfills, there are many different ways to define
our goals in this situation.
One possible goal would be to find alternative ways of
disposing of trash other than landfills. Another would be to
reduce the amount of trash generated in the first place.
Different goals can
lead people to explore very different strategies for solving a
problem. If our goal is to find alternative ways of disposing
of trash, we might consider such ideas as incineration or
Reduce the trash being generated, we might consider
recycling or encouraging companies to package goods in
reusable containers. Of course, you often may want to
pursue multiple goals.

E
xplore Possible Strategies
The third component of the IDEAL approach to problem
solving is to explore alternative approaches to solving a
problem. This often involves a reanalysis of your goals plus a
consideration of options or strategies that might be employed
to achieve those goals. In other cases, people may be aware
of the general importance of strategies yet not have learned
the specific strategies needed for the problem they are trying
to solve.
One way to think about strategies is in terms of their
generality. Some strategies for problem solving are
very general and apply to almost any problem you
might consider. Others are very specific and apply
only in a small set of circumstances. We begin by
discussing some relatively general strategies and
then consider the issue of specific strategies that are
appropriate to particular types of problems.

The importance of
Systematic Analysis
The problem becomes quite
simple when broken into its
component parts. Furthermore,
human beings seem to need to
break complex problems into
component parts in order to
succeed.
Proceeding systematically is also
necessary for effective reading
comprehension.

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A nticipate Outcomes and Act
Once a strategy is selected, it is important to anticipate
possible outcomes and then act on that strategy.
Anticipating possible outcomes can save you from
actions you may regret later on. The previous
discussion shows that it is often necessary to act on
our strategies before we can anticipate possible
outcomes. We have experienced case after case in
which people (including ourselves) believe that an
initial idea makes great sense and then are
unpleasantly surprised by obvious flaws that become
apparent after the idea is put into practice. Ideally,
many of these flaws can be discovered during the act
and anticipate outcomes phase of problem solving
rather than later on, when real damage can be done.
L ook and Learn
The final component of the IDEAL framework is to look at
the
actual effects of your strategy and learn from the experience.
The suggestion to look and learn from problem-solving
experiences seems so obvious that you may wonder why we
bother to mention it. The reason is that, as obvious as it
seems, it often isn't done. In addition to looking at the
effects of one's actions or decisions, it is important to learn
from the experience. Ideally, one learns something general
so that subsequent attempts at problem solving can be
improved.
Most students know that they have to anticipate the consequences
of using a particular study strategy in light of the test
requirements. If the test will involve a presentation of one or two
paragraphs from the text with the requirement that students
explain the meaning of the paragraphs in their own words, the
study strategy noted above (to read each chapter twice) may be
adequate.
On the other hand, if the test requires students to recall key concepts
from the text and discuss them in order of importance, that same
study strategy will probably be insufficient. (See Chapter 7 for more
discussion of this issue.) Unless students anticipate the effects of
adopting particular study strategies by acting on them, they cannot
make adjustments that will ensure success.
In our example, the best way to anticipate probable effects is to
actually perform various tasks such as recalling key concepts from
the book chapters. If you are not successful, you will know ahead
of time that you need to change your approach.
Consider tests, for example. These represent
problems that students attempt to solve by
selecting appropriate study strategies. Most
students look at the effects of their attempts at
problem solving in terms of their grade on each
test, but this provides only very general
information. To learn from their experience, they
need to examine their performance in more detail.
For example, it can be beneficial to examine the
exact questions missed and to understand why
one missed them.
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 Take Note!
As you gain experience working with the IDEAL framework, you will notice that it often involves
dealing with failure or frustration. If you identify a problem with your own ideas or statements, for
example, it can be difficult to admit it. Similarly, as you define new goals (and hence reject earlier ones)
or act on strategies and find a need to explore alternative plans, you may find yourself reacting
negatively. This is natural; all of us would rather be right about everything than wrong on occasion.
Nevertheless, the IDEAL problem solver views these kinds of experiences as opportunities rather than
failures. The major opportunity they provide is to learn something new. And the earlier in the IDEAL
cycle you can find the need to change direction, the better it is for you.

Performance Task No. 2.1

Skill Application and Transfer: The IDEAL approach to problem solving.
Instructions:
1. Think of a character on your favorite movie/book.
(Must name the Title of the book/movie and give a summary of what it is all about. Use a separate
sheet for this item.)
2. Review the IDEAL approach to problem solving.
3. Evaluate the approach used by the character to solve the problem.
1.1. Did the character use all five steps to solve her/his problem?
1.2. Which steps were particularly effective for the character?
1.3. Which steps were particularly ineffective for the character?
1.4. Was the character’s approach realistic?
1.5. Was the outcome of the decision realistic?
1.6. How would you solve it in real life?
4. Encode your answer following the format:
Paper Size: Letter
Margin: Normal
Font Style: Bookman Old Style
Font Size: 12

IDEAL Approach to Problem Solving Rubric

Exemplary
Ability to define the Demonstrates the ability
problem to construct a clear and
insightful problem
statement with evidence
of all relevant contextual
factors.
Ability to identify Identifies multiple
strategies approaches for solving the
problem that apply within
a specific context.
Ability to propose Proposes one or more
solutions/hypotheses solutions/hypotheses that
indicates a deep
comprehension of the
problem.
Solution/hypotheses are
sensitive to contextual
factors as well as all of the
following: ethical, logical,
and cultural dimensions of
the problem.
Ability to evaluate Evaluation of solutions is
Proficient Developing Needs Development
Demonstrates the ability Begins to demonstrate the Demonstrates a limited
to construct a problem ability to construct a ability in identifying a
statement with evidence problem statement with problem statement or
of most relevant evidence of most relevant related contextual factors.
contextual factors, and contextual factors, but
problem statement is problem statement is
adequately superficial.
detailed.
Identifies multiple Identifies only a single Identifies one or more
approaches for solving the approach for solving the approaches for solving the
problem, only some of problem that does apply problem that do not apply
which apply within a within a specific context. within a specific context.
specific context
Proposes one or more Proposes one Proposes a
solutions/hypotheses that solution/hypothesis that is solution/hypothesis that is
indicates comprehension “off the shelf” rather than difficult to evaluate
of the problem. individually designed to because it is vague or only
Solutions/hypotheses are address the specific indirectly addresses the
sensitive to contextual contextual factors of the problem statement.
factors as well as the one problem.
of the following: ethical,
logical, or cultural
dimensions of the
problem.
Evaluation of solutions is Evaluation of solutions is Evaluation of solutions is

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 potential solutions deep and elegant (for
example, contains
thorough and insightful
explanation) and includes,
deeply and thoroughly, all
of the following: considers
history of problem,
reviews logic/reasoning,
examines feasibility of
solution, and
weighs impacts of solution.
Ability to evaluate Reviews results relative to
possible outcomes the problem defined with
thorough, specific
considerations of need for
further work.
adequate (for example,
contains thorough
explanation) and includes
the following: considers
history of problem,
reviews logic/reasoning,
examines feasibility of
solution, and weighs
impacts of solution.
Reviews results relative to
the problem defined with
some consideration of
need for further work.
brief (for example,
explanation lacks depth)
and includes the following:
considers history of
problem, reviews
logic/reasoning, examines
feasibility of solution, and
weighs impacts of solution.
Reviews results in terms of
the problem defined with
little, if any, consideration
of need for further work.
superficial (for example,
contains cursory, surface
level explanation) and
includes the following:
considers history of
problem, reviews
logic/reasoning, examines
feasibility of solution, and
weighs impacts of solution.
Reviews results superficially
in terms of the problem
defined with no
consideration of need for
further work

Conceptual Activity No 2.1 | Practical Problem Solving

1. Three actual inventions are shown below. Try to define the problems they were designed to solve.
1.1. Unusual shovel

1.2.

1.3.

2. What kind of problem were these inventions designed to solve?

2.1. [?]
2.2. [.]
2.3. [,]
2.4. [!]
3. Can you make sense of the following?
That that is is not that that is not that it it is.

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