A field experimental study of analytical problem solving competence—Investigating effects of training and transfer. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Buchwald, Florian; Fleischer, Jens; Leutner, Detlev
• Is Part Of: Thinking skills and creativity. Volume 18(2015)
• Page Start: 18
• Page End: 31
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Problem solving -- Training -- Transfer -- PISA; Thought and thinking -- Periodicals; Critical thinking -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Creative thinking -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Thinking -- Periodicals; Creativeness -- Periodicals; Teaching -- Periodicals; Pensée -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Créativité (Éducation) -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; 370.15205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsc.2015.04.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1871-1871

Abstract

Abstract: Problem solving is a key concept used to cope with the demands of a rapidly changing world. It is regarded both as a cross-curricular competence that is related to, but not identical to, general cognitive abilities, and as a domain-specific competence (e.g., in mathematics). Based on results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 and a connected repeated measurement study in Germany (PISA-I-Plus), the cognitive potential exploitation hypothesis postulates that crosscurricular analytical problem solving competence can be regarded as a resource for improving domainspecific problem solving competence in mathematics. The paper presents results from a 15-week field experimental training study ( N = 173 students in Grade 9) investigating aspects of this hypothesis by addressing this research question: can broad training in cross-curricular analytical problem solving with a focus on conditional knowledge, procedural knowledge, and planning skills enhance (1) cross-curricular analytical problem solving and (2) mathematical problem solving? The results show an interactive effect between treatment and prior cross-curricular problem solving competence indicating an effect of transfer for low-achieving problem-solvers on mathematical problem solving competence. The results are discussed from both an educational research and an instructional perspective.