My fascination for problem solving and its processes stem back when I was young. While I was leaving in Sri Lanka, I met people who due to their poverty looked at problems from a different angle. In this country, impoverished families feel blessed and because of this it is natural for them to share whatever small amount of food they have to others. What really transpired in their minds? How important is prior knowledge in problem solving? How does one’s social environment affect one’s perception of problem solving?
In my quest to gain a bit of understanding about this subject, I came across an article on our online database. Take from The Counselling Psychologist “An Information-Processing Approach to Problem Solving” http://tcp.sagepub.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/cgi/reprint/15/3/371 , the article explicitly explains how people cope and how they behave in handling problems by using the four major problem solving processes: encoding, goal setting, developing a plan and taking action. The article also talks about how real life problems can be solved best by identifying the characteristics of a specific problem along with its peculiarities and how one’s personality affects one’s perception of handling a problem. It touches on how one uses two types of memory to search for solutions. Furthermore, the article elaborates on John Anderson’s ACT – Adaptive Control of Thought. The theory claims that in problem solving we use three memory systems: working, declarative and procedural. A gradual process of combing these three leads to knowledge compilation wherein the person uses all his acquired information to tackle a problem. The article is rather long but it is easy to read and is well structured.
Initially, I doubted on the usefulness of the article but then realised that it is an integral part of being an Instructional Designer to understand how to comprehend how information processing affects problem solving in an organisation, in a workshop or in writing a training programme. Reading the article brought me back to the essentials of life which after all is what we really want to know.
The second resource I found useful is a page in an Engineering website http://www.engsc.ac.uk/er/theory/problemsolving.asp . I thought it was straight forward as it explained the process of problem solving in a simple way giving examples of simple and complex situations at the end. It had diagrams to illustrate the process and it was focused on the topic. It is closely linked to the above article and is helpful in visualising the crucial points of how to handle a problem especially from an ID point of view. Browsing through the page, I was reminded that our brain multi-tasks and whether we like it or not, it links all information it can gather to make sense and to eventually form a meaningful experience in our mind.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Blogging the "in game"
As a private person, Blogs to me have created a sense of angst if not a sense of being too open to the public. I prefer a closed community where I can openly share to a selected public rather than the whole cyberspace. However, I must admit that this is a useful tool to keep in touch with teachers and other professionals to exchange ideas coming from diverse perspectives. I truly believe that blogs break down barriers of race, culture and language because it offers a site where one can express oneself, be respected and appreciated.
Here are some interesting ones I found.
1. Instructional Design for Media Education http://id.ome.ksu.edu/
I had been browsing this website for blogs before and found the layout simple with information accessible. I find it neat and topics are easy to find. It gives ideas and information on different learning environments such as e-learning, pod casts or even round table discussions. Within the categories which run from assessment to virtual skills, its audience has a variety of information that leads to vast possibilities of subtopics. Bloggers are teachers, instructional designers, professors or simple thoughtful writes who want to contribute their ideas. Additional information is extended to the reader through a URL link. In this link, it offers video, presentation or handouts. The round table discussions are very interesting and most of their materials can utilised for personal use in training or workshops. I would have preferred a chance to have a chat.
As mentioned before, I will continue to use this blog site to exchange ideas and get more information as well as ideas not only in instructional design but other topics like technology or even assessment. There are valid resources offered in the site which I have used in my workshops. I also believe that because it is easy to navigate through the site, I can easily share this to the teachers I provide training for whose first language is not English.
2. Trainers are Learners too http://en.wordpress.com/tag/matt-murray/
I found this website interesting even if it did not pertain to my field – education. The topics discussed on the blogs were just day to day issues any ID tackles in his job. The layout of the page is easy to navigate and the topics are clearly stated on the title. I can get lots of ideas from his blogs as they are clearly defined and thoroughly outlined. I might not be working in the automotive field but some things are the same elsewhere.
3. The Usable learning Blog http://usablelearning.wordpress.com/
This blog has an interesting discussion on how we learn and the rational behind it. I found the links truly complimentary and extensive especially if you needed more information on what you have just read. As an ID, I think that this website can be an excellent venue for me to have more discussions on how learning happens and use this wealth to enhance the training programmes I create for the teachers. Working with teachers can be tricky and explaining to them the rational behind an activity can be a successful route to getting participate and make the best out of it.
Malu
Here are some interesting ones I found.
1. Instructional Design for Media Education http://id.ome.ksu.edu/
I had been browsing this website for blogs before and found the layout simple with information accessible. I find it neat and topics are easy to find. It gives ideas and information on different learning environments such as e-learning, pod casts or even round table discussions. Within the categories which run from assessment to virtual skills, its audience has a variety of information that leads to vast possibilities of subtopics. Bloggers are teachers, instructional designers, professors or simple thoughtful writes who want to contribute their ideas. Additional information is extended to the reader through a URL link. In this link, it offers video, presentation or handouts. The round table discussions are very interesting and most of their materials can utilised for personal use in training or workshops. I would have preferred a chance to have a chat.
As mentioned before, I will continue to use this blog site to exchange ideas and get more information as well as ideas not only in instructional design but other topics like technology or even assessment. There are valid resources offered in the site which I have used in my workshops. I also believe that because it is easy to navigate through the site, I can easily share this to the teachers I provide training for whose first language is not English.
2. Trainers are Learners too http://en.wordpress.com/tag/matt-murray/
I found this website interesting even if it did not pertain to my field – education. The topics discussed on the blogs were just day to day issues any ID tackles in his job. The layout of the page is easy to navigate and the topics are clearly stated on the title. I can get lots of ideas from his blogs as they are clearly defined and thoroughly outlined. I might not be working in the automotive field but some things are the same elsewhere.
3. The Usable learning Blog http://usablelearning.wordpress.com/
This blog has an interesting discussion on how we learn and the rational behind it. I found the links truly complimentary and extensive especially if you needed more information on what you have just read. As an ID, I think that this website can be an excellent venue for me to have more discussions on how learning happens and use this wealth to enhance the training programmes I create for the teachers. Working with teachers can be tricky and explaining to them the rational behind an activity can be a successful route to getting participate and make the best out of it.
Malu
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
From Euroasia
Hi everyone,
This seems to be an exciting jump-start for a course. I am thrilled to share my ideas and hear different perspectives of how people learn and acquire knowledge and understanding. As a psycholinguist by nature I am more inclined to see how people gain knowledge and express their understanding through verbal and non-verbal communication.
I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan - in the heart of Central Asia where a lot of non-verbal communication is used and decisions are made without a word uttered. I work with kids who learn in three languages: Kazakh, Russian and English. I work in an environment where limited knowledge is encouraged as more of it is threatening. I work with teachers who love their job but fear to lose it if they speak up. I live in an environment where the novo rich manipulates and harasses simple minded people with their money.
I live a country only seen through "Borat's eyes" but possesses wonderful nature, a rich nomadic culture and a generous hospitality. As I sink deeper into this culture, I realise that people find ways to learn.... ways that may be completely different from what we as westerners are used to.
This seems to be an exciting jump-start for a course. I am thrilled to share my ideas and hear different perspectives of how people learn and acquire knowledge and understanding. As a psycholinguist by nature I am more inclined to see how people gain knowledge and express their understanding through verbal and non-verbal communication.
I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan - in the heart of Central Asia where a lot of non-verbal communication is used and decisions are made without a word uttered. I work with kids who learn in three languages: Kazakh, Russian and English. I work in an environment where limited knowledge is encouraged as more of it is threatening. I work with teachers who love their job but fear to lose it if they speak up. I live in an environment where the novo rich manipulates and harasses simple minded people with their money.
I live a country only seen through "Borat's eyes" but possesses wonderful nature, a rich nomadic culture and a generous hospitality. As I sink deeper into this culture, I realise that people find ways to learn.... ways that may be completely different from what we as westerners are used to.
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