Ill-Structured Problems, Tasks or Questions

A term used to describe a question, problem, or task that lacks a recipe or obvious formula to answer or solve it. Ill-structured tasks or problems do not suggest or imply a specific strategy or approach guaranteed to yield success. Often the problem is fuzzy and needs to be further defined or clarified before a solution is offered. Such questions or problems thus demand more than knowledge; they demand good judgment and imagination. All good essay questions, science problems, or design challenges are ill-structured: Even when the goal is understood or the expectations clear, a procedure must be developed along the way. Invariably, ill-structured tasks require constant self-assessment and revision, not just a simple application of knowledge transfer.

Most real problems in life are ill-structured; most test items are not. Test questions are well structured in that they have a single, unambiguous right answer, or an obvious solution procedure. Such items are fine for validly assessing elements of knowledge but not appropriate for judging the student’s ability to use knowledge wisely—namely, how to judge which knowledge and skill to use when. (A basketball analogy clarifies the distinction. The “test” of each drill in basketball differs from the “test” of playing the game well in performance: The drill is predictable and structured; the game is unpredictable and not scriptable.)

Most teaching problems are similarly ill-structured. Teaching is complex, requiring differentiation, choice points, varied outcomes (engaged in math talk vs right answers vs culture of risk taking, etc.). For this reason, teaching problems rarely have on clear and unambiguous right answer. This is why teaching is difficult to routinize (Lampert, 2001). UVEI uses methods like inquiry, coaching, situated learning, and performance assessments as tools to develop teachers abilities to work through the ill-structured problems of teaching.

Source:

Lampert, M. (2001). Teaching problems and problems of teaching. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Wiggins, Grant; McTighe, Jay (2005). Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition (Page 344). Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.