Problem Solving Step 3

Problem Solving: The ability to find a solution to a situation or challenge.

Step 3: I complete tasks by finding information I need myself

Outcomes

To achieve Step 3, learners will show that when faced with a problem they can find information they need themselves to complete a task.

In earlier steps the focus was on completing tasks by following instructions, finding someone who could help if they were stuck, and then on being able to articulate a problem to them. This step builds on this by encouraging learners to find information themselves to complete a task.

Learners need to be able to:

Identify when extra information is needed
Understand how to find this additional information

Introduction

Information is another word for knowledge, and focuses typically on facts or things that we can know to be true.
When we try to complete tasks, one of the problems we can sometimes run into is that we don’t have enough information.

Skill Starter

Pitch In

Split the group into two equal-size teams and, with limited cones, get learners to mark out a football pitch or similar. Teams must discuss and agree dimensions, allocate resources and measure out the pitch.

Learners must take into consideration the number of players, age of learners and number of cones available.

20 mins

Group activity

Active

Teach & Apply

Share a simple problem. For example, “we don’t know how many footballs to bring to next week’s football tournament.”
Model what information is needed: “How many teams have entered, how many balls per team required, if spare footballs are needed…”
We can ask questions to be clear on what we need to find out and what we already know: “Is there anything here we already know? What do we need to find out? Where could we find this information?”
Model where could you find the information: “If I need to know how many teams entered, I could look up the fixtures timetable.”
Discuss: “What different places can we get information from?” Share some examples to stimulate ideas, e.g. facts and dates online, a route or directions with a map, instructions in a manual.

Optional Activity

Identifying Instructions

Learners have to stop and think of all the times they have needed to follow instructions throughout the day.

Ask them to think about the instructions they have followed – were they spoken, written, drawn or a combination of these?

Ask them to pick which instructions they found most useful and reflect on why this was.

15 mins

Individual activity

Discussion

Reflection & Assessment

Embed these strategies across your teaching and coaching to help learners apply what they’ve learnt.

Highlight examples of learners who have identified when they need further information and have sought to find this, with peers ideally but also of the Coach where required.

Use these ideas for ways of assessing this skill step to help you check learners’ understanding and confidence.

The assessment can focus on those who are able to identify the information they require to complete a task, what of that is extra information, and then being able to find that information.
Ask these reflective questions:
- What is meant by ‘information’?
- When might we need additional information to solve a problem?
- Where are some of the different places you might find extra information?