Ten Ideas for Solving Quantitative Problems Dr. Laura Hahn Center for Teaching Excellence iFoundry University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Ten Ideas Research on expert and novice problem solvers

Research on expert and novice problem solvers

In The Beginning 1. What is this problem about? 2. What are the underlying concepts this problem is getting at? 3. How is this problem similar to and different from other problems you’ve worked on?

1. What is this problem about?

2. What are the underlying concepts this problem is getting at?

3. How is this problem similar to and different from other problems you’ve worked on?

In The Middle 4. Expect to be confused and frustrated. 5. Let it simmer. 6. Do something. 7. Don’t jump ahead.

4. Expect to be confused and frustrated.

5. Let it simmer.

6. Do something.

7. Don’t jump ahead.

At The End 8. What does this answer mean? 9. Could you have done this problem a different way? 10. What did you learn from doing this problem?

8. What does this answer mean?

9. Could you have done this problem a different way?

10. What did you learn from doing this problem?

Assignment Students: Identify one or two of these ideas and strategies that you can apply more deliberately to your next problem set. Instructors: Identify one or two new ways that you can explicitly model these ideas and strategies during your next class lecture.

Students: Identify one or two of these ideas and strategies that you can apply more deliberately to your next problem set.

Instructors: Identify one or two new ways that you can explicitly model these ideas and strategies during your next class lecture.