Reviewing the Learning Process through Creative Puzzle Solving

Abstract

Human beings are at a continuous learning process at various levels and with different motivations during their whole lifetime. Puzzle solving may beneficially be applied to increase the motivation, enhance the mastering apprehension, promote the creative processes, expand the ability to engage and solve miscellaneous challenges from various viewpoints, and hence lead to an improved learning process and problem solving capability. That is, the application of puzzles may lead to better learning and increased knowledge in general, stimulating the reasoning process and the apprehension of the need for both creativity and hard work. Thus, teachers of both students and teachers may find it beneficial to utilize the art of puzzle solving. Typically, the puzzles are very suitable for and mostly used in mathematics and natural science classes. Nevertheless, the puzzles are in general also applicable for any type of class. The aim of this study is to examine and discuss the learning process through applying creative puzzle solving as a teaching tool. These aspects are illustrated through a review of several selected puzzle examples.

The Effect of Tarsia Puzzle on Vocabulary Learning in a Primary School Setting

“…Solving Tarsia puzzle offered a sense of achievement among the young ESL learners. This corresponds to Jelle [23] and Klymchuk [25] statement pointing out how PBL drives motivation. A few participants actually enjoyed playing Tarsia because they noted the connection of the puzzle to their study and were concerned of their performance in English.…”

“…This approach has also been found to be effective in reinforcing concepts and vocabulary competence in Medical Sciences [40], [37] as well as boosting learners' motivation and performance in learning Computer Sciences [30], [11]. These studies confirm Jelle [23] and Klymchuk's [25] statement imposing PBL induces positive drive, intrinsically and extrinsically. PBL is far from being underused in the language classroom.…”

“…Both accentuated problem solving as the element of a puzzle. In the same light, Klymchuk [23] believed that a puzzle is non-routine, out of the box problem presented in an interesting way. To succinctly define puzzle, Becky and Susie [7] described it as any games that promote learning and development of multitude cognitive, motor and social skills.…”

La enseñanza de la creatividad en alumnos de psicología de la Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar (Cartagena, Colombia)

“…El material con el que se trabaja en este curso lo práctico de la creatividad es un popular acertijo denominado el rompecabezas de los nueve puntos (Jelle, 2017), en él los estudiantes tienen que unir nueve puntos (conformados éstos como si fueran un cuadrado imaginario) con cuatro líneas rectas sin levantar el útil de escritura del papel, siendo la única solución posible la de salirse de ese hipotético polígono 7 (Figura 1), una forma de pensamiento creativo que en idioma inglés se conoce como thinking outside the box (Jelle, 2017). Un interrogante que se puede asociar al mundo de las matemáticas discretas, a la teoría de los grafos de Euler y al célebre problema de los siete puentes de Königsberg que resolvió este matemático en el siglo XVIII (Rosen, 2003).…”

Development of puzzle game as media for learning and profession interest

“…In previous studies, puzzles were widely used as one of the media in learning. In this research Puzzle is used to study the learning process [15]. The purpose of this study is to test and discuss the learning process through the application of puzzles as learning media.…”