Let Kids Solve Wicked Problems... Why Not?!

Abstract

We describe the first iteration of design experiments that aim to assess an instructional framework we call Preparation for Future Collaboration, which consists of three main phases of learning activity: 1) individual cognitive preparation in the content to-be-learned, 2) discussion/collaboration of ideas generated during preparation, and 3) direct instruction. We conducted an experimental study in situ in three fourth-grade classes in a public school in Singapore, manipulating the way that students prepared for a collaborative activity in a topic in environmental education. Future analyses will include using measures of student artifacts to assess the effectiveness of different forms of preparation on both the process of learning and post-activity outcomes. In this paper, we share two cases to illustrate student ability to generate solutions to a wicked problem.