Learning to Solve Problems: A Handbook for Designing Problem-Solving Learning Environments

by David H. Jonassen

This book provides a comprehensive, up-to-date look at problem solving research and practice over the last 15 years.

Genres: Education

466 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Elliedakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most valuable education book I have ever read, hands down.

[Gordon Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonassens' book is divided into three parts. The first presents a typology of problems and then elaborates on each type by defining and describing them and then outlining the elements which would make an ideal environment in which the solving of each type of problem could be learned. The second part looks at the different ways in which cases, the building-blocks or problem solving, can be used. The final section examines how problem solving can best be assessed.

The writing is clear and extremely well organised. Explanations are thorough and draw extensively on the research base. Numerous examples are given from a variety of situations ( though more from Science and Math than from other subject areas). In his preface, Jonassen advises that the book is best used as a reference handbook rather than being read cover to cover. I read it cover to cover and found that doing so gave me an excellent overview of the issues surrounding the teaching of problem solving. Jonassen is easily the leading expert in this field. The book should be enormously useful to teachers of all subjects, who may prefer to use it as a handbook as Jonassen suggests and zero in on the kinds of problems they wish students to solve in their subject areas, and to curriculum writers, who will find in this book everything they need to put problem solving at the centre of curriculum design.