An exploration of problem posing-based activities as an assessment tool and as an instructional strategy

Abstract

BackgroundProblem posing, the generation of questions by learners, has been shown to be an effective instructional strategy for teaching–learning of complex materials in domains such as mathematics. In this paper, we demonstrate the potential of problem posing in two dimensions. Firstly, we present how problem posing can result in unfolding of knowledge and hence how it can be used as an instructional strategy. Then we present another problem posing-based activity as an assessment tool in an Introductory Programming course (CS1).MethodTo explore the potential of problem posing as an instructional strategy, we conducted field studies in the two CS application courses (Data Structures (DS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)), in which we provided a semi-structured problem posing situation to students. We performed inductive qualitative research and development the questions generated by students using grounded theory-based qualitative data analysis technique. To explore the potential of problem posing as an assessment tool, we conducted a field study in CS1 wherein we employed another problem posing (PP)-based activity in a large class for assessing the learning of computational thinking concepts in an introductory programming course and analysed how performance in traditional assessment tools (quiz score) is related with performance in our non-traditional assessment tool (quality of problems posed during a problem posing activity).ResultsFrom the studies in DS and AI courses we found that students pose questions and unfold knowledge using seven strategies — Apply, Organize, Probe, Compare, Connect, Vary, and Implement. From the field study performed in the CS1 course we found that the quality of the problems posed (difficulty level) were mostly aligned to the traditional assessment results in the case of novice learners but not in the case of advanced learners.

Penerapan Model Pembelajaran Problem Based Learning pada Pembelajaran Instalasi Penerangan Listrik Bangunan Bertingkat di SMK Negeri 2 Watampone

“…Seperti pernyataan Mayer & Moreno yang dikutip oleh Mishra & Iyer "The initial instruction was light (less incontent), and short (of short time), to ensure that students assimilate most of its contents". Peserta didik bebas untuk membuat catatan atau menulis pertanyaan secara bersama-sama untuk mempermantap pemahamannya [14].…”

Interactive Exploratory Objects: From Laboratory Experiments to Mass Practices of the XXI Century

“…We shall emphasize this fundamentally important aspect. Although problem posing is considered an important part of learning and thinking in some educational approaches (Brown & Walter, 2004;Mishra & Iyer, 2015), it is difficult to find psycho-diagnostic tests that would assess a person's ability to pose problems and come up with tasks, rather than just to solve problems posed by someone else. Tests of exploratory behavior provide such an opportunity.…”

Model-based analysis of thinking in problem posing as sentence integration focused on violation of the constraints

“…Beal and Cohen (2012) demonstrated that the mathematics problem-posing skill was improved when the activity was carried out over an online collaborative learning system. Mishra and Iyer (2015) implemented a collaborative problem-posing activity in which two learners collaborated as a team to generate questions. Sung et al (2016) conducted a group collaborative problem-posing mobile learning activity.…”