Abstract:

Problem solving is a basic cognitive activity for human being, and is also a main way that students acquire knowledge. Enhancing students’ problem solving ability has already become an important target in the modern education. In the recent 20 years, the western psychologists and educationists have done the massive research on this domain, and yielded the substantial results. Problem solving is a process that the problems can be resolved by a series of thought operation. It is caused by certain situation and followed by some objective with the application of various kinds of cognitive activity and skills etc. As far as constitutive difference of the problem is concerned, problems are categorized into well-structured problem and ill-structured problem. The solving process of well-structured problem is a high level cognitive activity. It is generally made up of representing problems by schema activation, searching solutions, and implementing solutions. The solving process of ill-structured problems includes understanding problem statement, ensuring the existence and the nature of the problem, clarifying the causes of the problem, identifying and clarifying alternative opinions, generating and choosing possible solutions, and evaluating and implementing the solution. There exist major differences between well-structured and ill-structured problems in processes of solving problems. In a word, from the perspective of cognitive psychology, the problem is a difference between our current state and the target state that we want to achieve. Therefore, the problem solving is to try to eliminate this difference. The process of problem solving generally contains the following four stages: (1) problem representation; (2) strategy choice; (3) strategy application; (4) result evaluation. The process of problem solving is affected by many mental factors. The most influenced factors is constituted by representing problems, problem solver's knowledge structure, the thought level and cognitive strategy and regulation of cognition etc. Problem representation is based on understanding of problems, but suitable representation of problem exerts a remarkable influence on the degree of the problem solving. In the solving process of ill-structured problems, possessing complete and specific domain knowledge is extremely essential. The knowledge structuring, that is to say, forming optimized the cognition structure is the basis of enhancing problem solving ability. Whether the individual possesses thought level and strategy of solving problems, namely whether the individual can carry on analysis, synthesis, comparison and abstract to the problems, manifests the individual how to solve the problems. In the process of problem solving, the problem solver must continuously assess and monitor their solution process in order to judge whether this question solution generated and chosen is correct. In order to cultivate students’ ability to resolve problem in real teaching, we should adopt teaching model of problem solving. Such as Barrows’ problem solving teaching model: (1) organizing small group; (2) putting forward the question, solving the problem; (3) small group exchanges; (4) activity report; (5) problem solving reconsidering. At the same time, we should adopt teaching strategies contain promoting students’ knowledge conformity, designing open question, instructing correctly representing problems and regulating students’ problem solving process etc.

Key words: problem solving, process model, mental factor, teaching meaning

摘要：

提高学生解决问题能力已经成为现代教育的一个重要目标。问题解决就是由一定情境引起的,按照一定的目标,应用各种认知活动、技能等,经过一系列思维操作,使问题得以解决的过程。本文综述了问题解决的过程模型，影响问题解决的心理因素，并寻找其教学意义，以期给当前我国教育与教学改革提供参考。

关键词: 问题解决, 过程模型, 心理因素, 教学意义