Skip to main content

Learning to Solve Problems in the Digital Age: Introduction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Multiple Perspectives on Problem Solving and Learning in the Digital Age

Abstract

This chapter addresses the nature of problem solving in general, how cognitive psychologists believe that problem solving expertise develops, new issues in problem solving that have risen with new information and communication technologies, and some specific technologies and tools that can support the development of problem solving expertise. The chapter concludes with remarks about thorny issues that inhibit progress and mention some things to consider in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Berliner, D. (1991). What’s all the fuss about instructional time? In M. Ben-Peretz & R. Bromme (Eds.), The nature of time in schools: Theoretical concepts, practitioner perceptions. New York: Teachers College Press. Retrieved October 14, 2010, from http://courses.ed.asu.edu/berliner/readings/fuss/fuss.htm

    Google Scholar 

  • Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind experience, and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S. I., & Walter, M. I. (1983). The art of problem posing. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, A., Brown, J. S., & Newman, S. E. (1987). Cognitive apprenticeship: Teaching the craft of reading, writing and mathematics (Technical Report No. 403). Cambridge, MA: BBN Laboratories. Centre for the Study of Reading, University of Illinois.

    Google Scholar 

  • Descartes, R. (1637). Discourse on the method of rightly conducting the reason, and seeking truth in the sciences [Published in The Harvard classics series edited by C. W. Eliot]. New York: Collier & Son.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Boston, MA: Heath.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkstra, E. W. (1972). The humble programmer. Communications of the ACM, 15(10), 859–866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dörner, D. (1996). The logic of failure: Why things go wrong and what we can do to make them right (R. Kimber & R. Kimber, Trans.). New York: Metropolitan Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dreyfus, H. L, & Dreyfus, S. E. (1986). Mind over machine: The power of human intuition and expertise in the era of the computer. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ericsson, K. A. (2001). Attaining excellence through deliberate practice: Insights from the study of expert performance. In M. Ferrari (Ed.), The pursuit of excellence in education (pp. 21–55). Mahway, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ericsson, K. A., & Smith, J. (Eds.). (1991). Toward a general theory of expertise: Prospects and limits. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frederiksen, N. (1984). Implications of cognitive theory for instruction in problem solving. Review of Educational Research, 54, 363–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf, S., Liu, T.-C., Kinshuk, Chen, N.-S., & Yang, S. J. H. (2009). Learning styles and cognitive traits: Their relationship and its benefits in Web-based educational systems. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(6), 1280–1289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf, S., MacCallum, K., Liu, T.-C., Chang, M., Wen, D., Tan, Q., et al. (2008). An infrastructure for developing pervasive learning environments. Proceedings of the 6th Annual IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications, Los Alamitos, CA, IEEE Computer Society, 389–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonassen, D. H. (2004). Learning to solve problems: An instructional design guide. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalyuga, S. & Sweller, J. (2005). Rapid dynamic assessment of expertise to improve the efficiency of adaptive e-learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 53, 83–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinshuk, Lin, T., & McNab, P. (2006). Cognitive trait modelling: The case of inductive reasoning ability. Innovations in Education and Teaching International,43(2), 151–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinshuk, Lin, T., & Patel, A. (2005). Supporting the mobility and the adaptivity of knowledge objects by cognitive trait model. In J. M. Spector, C. Ohrazda, A. Van Schaack, & D. Wiley (Eds.), Innovations in instructional technology: Essays in honor of M. David Merrill (pp. 29–41). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, G. A. (1998). Sources of power: How people make decisions. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merrill, M. D. (2002). First principles of instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 43–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milrad, M., Spector, J. M., & Davidsen, P. I. (2003). Model facilitated learning. In S. Naidu (Ed.), Learning and teaching with technology: Principles and practices (pp. 13–27). London: Kogan Page.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell, A., & Simon, H. A. (1972). Human problem solving. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirnay-Dummer, P., Ifenthaler, D., & Spector, J. M. (2010). Highly integrated model assessment technology and tools. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58(1), 3–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polya, G. (1945). How to solve it. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rittel, H., & Webber, M. (1984). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences, 4, 155–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salas, E., & Klein, G. A. (Eds.). (2001). Linking expertise and naturalistic decision making. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seel, N. M. (2003). Model-centered learning environments. Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning, 1(3), 242–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spector, J. M. (2004). Problems with problem-based learning: Comments on model-centered learning and instruction in Seel (2003). Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning, 1(4), 359–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spector, J. M., & Koszalka, T. A. (2004). The DEEP methodology for assessing learning in complex domains (Final report to the National Science Foundation Evaluative Research and Evaluation Capacity Building). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorndike, E. L. (1913). Educational psychology: The psychology of learning (Vol. 2). New York: Teachers College.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tuma, D., & Reif, F. (1980). Problem solving and education. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Merriënboer, J., & Sweller, J. (2005). Cognitive load theory and complex learning: Recent developments and future directions. Educational Psychology Review, 17, 147–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Kirschner, P. A. (2007). Ten steps to complex learning. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Michael Spector .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Spector, J.M., Kinshuk (2011). Learning to Solve Problems in the Digital Age: Introduction. In: Ifenthaler, D., Spector, J., Isaias, P., Sampson, D. (eds) Multiple Perspectives on Problem Solving and Learning in the Digital Age. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7612-3_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics