Competency Performance Recordings* Problem Solving Skills 

 
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The CPR Process

As mentioned on our Home page, in response to the challenge of working with students who have inadequate problem solving skills, we devised CPR-casting, a three-step program that exhibited a positive impact on General Chemistry I students' ability to master course content and experience improvement in problem solving skills.  Anecdotal information received from instructor and student participants in the beta test indicated that the   process showed  significant  inroads toward correcting each of the five (5) problems cited in on that page that are associated with inadequate problem solving skills. 

The CPR-casting process permits practitioners to quantify results by creating a controlled “incubator” environment for this process, a problem-solving course based on core course concepts aligned with ACS test criteria, accompanied by appropriate documentation of learning impacts at pre-determined intervals.

 The framework of approximately seventy (70) core course concepts form the foundation of problem solving techniques for each discipline.

We invite other faculty to share their core course concepts and rubrics.  Write to us at: info@cprcasting.com and share your findings.  We will gladly publish them here, under "contributing Universities, and we'll also add your biography and project name in the areas provided.

 

  1. Components

CPR-casting utilizes the technologies of Smart boards, wireless projectors & tablet PC's to simulate a "going to the board" experience.  The Triple A process is utilized to direct the dynamics of classroom participation and homework assignments.  The convergence of these two (2) elements, properly administered and monitored, produce a number of benefits that directly and positively impact students’ performance.

 The CPR-casting  process combines three (3) different technologies to reinforce learning with an instructor facilitated, strictly followed “Triple A” doctrine:

Technologies:

  • Smart boards

  • Wireless projectors

  • Tablet PC technology

 “Triple A” doctrine’s three (3) components:

  • Articulation

  • Analysis & Assessment

  • Ascertain Solution

 2.  CPR-casting basics: Core Concepts and Rubrics

 The foundation of the Triple A’s is course content that encompasses core course concepts aligned with national standardized tests.  This sets the stage for discussion, homework, and examinations aimed at not only learning course basics, but continually preparing students for performing well on national standardized test instruments.  A set of ten (10) rubrics are applied to the problem solution process.  Rubrics outline what is expected at each touch point along the three-step CPR-casting process, and instructors must monitor performance at each point.  Rubrics ensure consistency in measuring student performance throughout the process, as well as consistency among instructors.

 There are four degrees of proficiency with each rubric:  target, acceptable, marginal, and unacceptable.  Points are assigned for each degree of proficiency.

 3.  Triple A’s: CPR-casting's three (3) step problem-solving process  

Step I:

 ARTICULATE.   Student participants articulate the problem in their own words, with a clear interpretation and understanding of the intended application of the problem. They must write something down to aid in the articulation process!  This may include equations (mathematical or chemical), and/or a creative visual sketch of what is occurring in the problem.  Students must ensure that all pertinent information is appropriately assigned in the sketch and is clearly articulated.  They must delineate all information that is given in the problem and what “unknown entity” (measurement, structure, graph or data point) the problem is asking to be determined during articulation.

Five Rubrics that support Step I

Step II:

ANALYZE AND ASSESS.  Student participants must familiarize themselves with the “unknown entity” and identify all parameters that are needed to solve for the “unknown entity”.

 

Students must do the following to perform at “target” level:   Gather all equations and concepts covered in class that are associated with the “unknown entity”.   They must focus on the equation or concept that requires the kind of data presented in the problem, and determine all parameters that are needed to solve for the “unknown entity”.    

 The next step is to verify how each desired parameter is obtained from the problem set data, whether the parameter is obtained from direct, indirect (via equation, etc) or implied information from the problem set data, or supplied from previous knowledge.    

Students are advised to use their textbook for clarification when needed.  

Four Rubrics that Support Step II

 Step III:

ASCERTAIN SOLUTION.  Solve for the “unknown entity”.  After obtaining all desired parameters from the problem set data, ascertain solution. This may require solving all mathematical or chemical equations or, assessing and correlating data to derive a conclusion. 

The  rubric that supports  Step III

 We invite other faculty to share their core course concepts and rubrics.  Write to us at: info@cprcasting.com and share your findings.  We will gladly publish them here, under "contributing Universities, and we'll also add your biography and project name in the areas provided.