PHYSICS PROBLEM SOLVING

The ensuing discussions led to all three students understanding better. It may even be the
questions of the least “capable” student that leads to the problem solution. This has implication
for how we teach problem solving and how we structure cooperative groups.
Students in a problem-solving group use Modified and Alternate Claims. These
additional claims are a means for students to engage in “creative controversy” in order to
elaborate claims, correct and clarify initial claims, and to co-construct a problem solution. One of
the fundamental tenets of cooperative learning is that when a group member asks a “why”
question, someone will have to “explain, elaborate or defend” an idea (Brown and Palincsar,
1989, p. 395). Thus, the use of Alternate Claims and Modified Claims lead me to the conclusion
these claims are a means of engaging in the cooperative task of explaining, elaborating and
defending ideas. Furthermore, since creative controversy was not explicitly taught to these
students, it is interesting that several of the groups none the less practiced it spontaneously. One
might ask how much more they would engage in controversy if the groups were more cohesive
and if conflict management skills were explicitly taught.
Finally, I believe this research shows that a qualitative case study approach is useful in
understanding the nature of cooperative group problem solving. When I started this research I
did not know what a systematic “fine-grained examination” of the argument co-construction
process even looked like, let alone how I would go about it. Now, I am not only sure of what it
looks like, but I believe this is a good example of how to do it. I have attempted to be very clear
in my assumptions, methods, and techniques. It should be possible for someone to extend or
translate the general approach to another context.