Suggestions Supported by This Research
Because the groups’ Backings show a preference to model their solution after the professor,
modeling the problem-solving strategy in class can be an effective means of fostering physics
problem-solving skills. However, the instructor must be cautious that he or she models the
“right stuff.” For example, being consistent and thorough when drawing free-body diagrams
is very important.
Groups should be explicitly taught creative controversy skills. Because there is a prototype
pattern (Group 4B, Type 1) in which there is no Modified Claim preceding an Alternate
Claim and there are no additional Grounds, Warrants, and Backings supporting the Claim, it
would be important to teach students to support all claims with Grounds, Warrants, and
Backings.
Co-construction should be promoted. This might be done by paying very close attention to
group participation. Students might then participate more equally and fully in the group. An
instructor could monitor groups as they work and intercede to draw in a “quiet” student. It
also might be helpful to rotate roles mid-problem. In many of these 14 groups, the Recorder
bore the major task of consensus checking. Rotating this role to another student might bring
in other ideas. I would recommend this only as a technique to encourage equal participation
and not recommend its universal use. Even though all students contribute, it can be
important to encourage the student who feels his or her contribution is insignificant.
Skeptical questioning and consensus checking should be overtly built into any problem
solving strategy. An instuctor could promote this by asking to see intermediate steps before
the group moves along. All the problems in this study were quantitative with numerical
answers. My own experience, coupled with the importance of skeptical questioning and
consensus checking in this study, suggests giving problems with algebraic answers might
foster this in cooperative problem-solving groups.
Suggestions Supported by Previous Research and This Research