STEM Network
Reading Apprenticeship
The types of problems that students do in science and math often involve reading. This requires the same kind of problem solving that students use to comprehend a text. How can you use Think Aloud Paired Problem Solving to support students in learning the process for solving the kinds of problems they encounter in your discipline?
Think Aloud Paired Problem Solving
When I read this, I love it. Then I visualize my students and my time limits, and I wonder, how can I do this in my class? The professor in the article is very well prepared and anticipates discussion questions and prepares for them. If an instructor is underprepared, the goals will not be met in the same way.
-- Patricia
Students tell us all the time, I understood it when I was in class, but I got home and I had a blank. Even on tests students ask, "Can you read this for me? I need to hear your voice..."
-- Bridget
When you force someone to speak, it forces them to slow down and be a little more intentional and less sloppy. When students start to verbalize, they can organize their thoughts. Writing out their thoughts also helps them to slow down and organize their thoughts.
-- Angela
This process is very similar to the nursing process. We have to try it, see if it worked, and if it didn't work properly, we have to start over again.
-- Helen
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Defining terms - "What does this term mean?"
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Read the problem very carefully multiple times.
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Identified what was being asked.
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Tried to identify parts of the problem that may be referring to the same thing and connections within the problem.
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Convert the problem to an equation form.
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Draw the geometrical structure and identify a visualization.
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Self-questioning and going back and forth within the problem to clarify.
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Separating the concepts step by step and separating out the individual parts of the problem and then recombining.
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Bringing in prior knowledge through drawing and writing equations to translate the problem into a meaningful set of information.
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Approaching the problem with humility and a sense of humor reveals a sense of confidence and competence --> this leads to the question of how can engender this sense of humility and humor that reveals confidence and copetence.
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Moving past fear to solve the problem connects to the personal dimension.
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Listening with empathy and using the coaching role cards supports the confidence to solve the problem without getting side tracked.
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The coaching questions asisst moving forward with the problem even though they don't provide clues to solving the problem.
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The listener questions can be used even when there is not a lull in talking, but when the speaker seems to be stuck or meandering in the problem.
What helpful metacognitive moves were made to make sense of the problems?
Our Strategies.
Biology
Have students take a concept or a cluster of words and ask them to connect the words. As they do this, they will reveal to me how much they learned previously and how they connect the topics. As a final product, they can come up with a paragraph or something explaining how these concepts interact.
End of the Semester Report
When students aren't familiar with a genre, they can do a think aloud about a model piece of writing to make sense of the genre and think aloud with that genre.
