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Foster Drawback-Fixing Abilities In Learners

Why developing problem solving skills is important

Problem solving is defined as the ability to solve a given problem quickly and easily. This requires convergent and divergent thinking skills. Convergent thinking is a process aimed at deriving a concrete solution to a problem. And the process of researching all possible solutions to analyze and generate creative ideas is called divergent thinking.

People with good problem-solving skills are indeed an asset to society. Problem solving also plays an important role in child development. These skills are in great demand in this competitive world and are therefore essential for overall success in life and at work.

Problem solving is an important 21st century skill as it determines personal development, employment prospects and overall contribution to society.

6 practical ways to stimulate critical thinking in students

1. Promotion of skills development through self-directed learning

research [1] proved that self-directed learning promotes critical thinking in students as it enables them to fully explore their creative and imaginative sides. It promotes the ability to think independently in the students and ultimately promotes the feeling of self-actualization in them. Today, the principle of autonomous learning is applied in most visionary school platforms because it is the most believable way to teach this New Age skill to young learners.

This methodology is perfect for middle and high school students as they enjoy the process of discovery learning and are able to draw conclusions in the light of facts.

As a parent, you need to support this process and understand the importance of problem-solving skills in children. The easiest way to do this is to allow some time after the class to think independently and encourage several original ideas by encouraging divergent thinking. All of this promotes advanced thinking skills in students and promotes critical thinking for advanced problem solving.

Top teachers from world-class accredited online schools use these strategies, along with several other eLearning skills, to guide learners through the process of gathering, prioritizing, interpreting, and finalizing information.

2. Encourage brainstorming in a non judgmental setting

Problem solving in child development is a crucial factor for later success. So try to create the right atmosphere for children at home to nurture this core skill.

A non-judgmental environment is always free from negative criticism and sarcasm. Allow the children to express their views freely, and make sure there is enough positive reinforcement for any real experimentation.

Individual brainstorming is best for developing creative solutions to less complex problems, as it allows individuals to break away from traditional, conventional ideas while interacting in a more positive environment.

Support your child in developing more and more lateral / parallel thinking and appreciate all ready-to-use / innovative answers.

3. Strengthen the components of problem solving

Another way to develop learners’ problem-solving skills is to strengthen the decision-making component of the problem-solving process. Decision-making skills are essential to solving problems as they help weigh the pros and cons before reaching a conclusion.

Encourage children to choose between possible alternatives and have fun trying out basic everyday choices like eating, reading books, watching movies, exercising, etc. Make sure that children make these decisions themselves and intervene with your logical and valid input. Remember, it is important to understand the importance of problem-solving skills in children. So try to create enough opportunities for young learners.

These practices will develop habits of analyzing multi-dimensional situations, and eventually the children will learn to explore and anticipate the effects of their individual choices.

4. Use the best techniques of some researched theories

Some great psychological theories can easily be applied to real-world situations. As a parent, you can nurture these relevant problem-solving skills in the child by incorporating some components of popular theories.

Let me explain this with a few examples:

Use the theory of “psychological distancing” [2] Separating children from their emotions while solving the problem. It will help them see the bigger picture of the problem by looking at it from a broader perspective. This strategy eliminates the likelihood of prejudice and selective understanding based on personal preference and therefore helps to view problems from multiple perspectives.

Another useful strategy can be the “heuristic framework” [3]that can help promote advanced thinking skills by breaking information down into smaller and larger pieces. With middle and high school students, you can effectively try the backward planning component. This strategy can be mindfully implemented in any everyday situation, such as planning a meeting or estimating monthly expenses for budget planning. Encourage responses in a way that starts with the most distant challenges like end-of-month crises / emergency funds etc and look for these solutions before planning the immediate requirements.

5. Be a positive role model

As parents, we can also develop problem-solving skills through a variety of informal interactions and behaviors. Our own approach to solving problems greatly affects our children’s abilities, as it has a strong influence on the family atmosphere and parenting in the critical stages of habit formation.

Look for ways to involve children in problematic situations and create some hypothetical ones if you don’t have real ones. Include children in discussions that require deep thought; B. Preparing for extreme weather changes or changing some business strategies (like hoarding raw materials) to lower a family business’s investment.

Be a structured and organized problem solver yourself, and present your thoughts in the most logical and sequential way possible. Support the children’s efforts consistently and share your thoughts on their dilemmas. The importance of problem-solving skills in children is obvious. So try to always be an ideal role model for children.

6. Observe, facilitate and give feedback

Be a guide and mentor to your students at all times. Watch them and be ready to intervene if necessary. Avoid interrupting and criticizing directly at any point, as these skills develop best in a positive learning environment.

So make sure you share enough positive feedback and support this process throughout. However, to make the task easier for children, do not give direct answers. Instead, guide them through the path that can lead to possible and relevant solutions. Encourage multiple solutions and unbiased opinions, and allow the children enough time to draw conclusions. Explain the steps of the process (identify, analyze, solve and review, etc.) repeatedly and motivate the children to think in different ways.

graduation

Problem-solving skills are beneficial for our children in all phases of life. So do your best and support your child in acquiring these skills relevant to the 21st century for an enormously successful and happy life!

References:

[1] Self-directed learning strategy: An instrument to promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills in social science students

[2] Theory of psychological distance on a constructive level

[3] 7.3 Problem solving

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