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Complex Problem Solving—The European Perspective
... Physics Problem-Solving Physics problem-solving requires a deep understanding of underlying principles and the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios (Frensch & Funke, 2014;Park & Lee, 2004). Success in solving physics problems demands many high-level skills, such as analytical skills, logical reasoning skills, creativity, and good mathematical calculation capability (Adams & Wieman, 2015). ...
... Physics problem-solving usually imposes a high cognitive load and requires higher-order scientific reasoning and sustained focus, making it challenging for learners (Byun & Lee, 2014;Frensch & Funke, 2014;Park & Lee, 2004). The difficulty level of a problem and teaching effectiveness can be measured directly and reliably using a pre-test and a post-test with similar problems. ...
... Future research should address these limitations by incorporating different teachers, a wider range of problem types, and diverse learner populations to further our understanding of effective teaching practice in physics education. Physics problem-solving requires high cognitive ability, logical reasoning skills, and problem-solving techniques (Byun & Lee, 2014;Frensch & Funke, 2014;Park & Lee, 2004). Therefore, it is argued that the findings of this study have the potential to catalyse future work on the correlation between the effectiveness of video-based teaching and the difficulty level of the content beyond physics problemsolving, offering a template for educators worldwide to tailor video-based teaching effectively across varying educational contexts and cultural backgrounds. ...
Numerous studies compared the effectiveness of various formats of video-based teaching, yet their focus has primarily been on relatively straightforward content, such as concepts and basic procedures. Research on the effectiveness of teaching complex content through different formats of videos remains limited. This study addresses this gap by conducting a well-controlled comparison between recorded video and narrated animation in the context of teaching physics problem-solving, a challenging content area with easily measurable difficulty levels. The study employed a controlled experimental design with a sample of 361 upper secondary school students who had been randomly assigned to seven classes within a selected secondary school by the school administrator. Data were collected using pre- and post-test assessments that measured students' problem-solving performance after video-based teaching. The results indicated that the effectiveness of recorded videos featuring the teacher's face was not significantly different from that of narrated animations that did not include the teacher's face, irrespective of the content's difficulty level. These findings provide valuable insights for educators in selecting appropriate teaching formats for teaching challenging content through video-based education. They contribute to our understanding of teaching strategies and have practical implications for educators seeking to optimise teaching approaches in similar contexts. Keywords: physics problem-solving, secondary education, teaching/learning strategies, educational video
... Solving complex problems involves integrating knowledge such as scientific knowledge, societal knowledge, organizational knowledge, and personal knowledge [44]. CPS is influenced by previous experience and knowledge [61], [88]. ...
... The CPS indicator as the ability to solve complex problems must be able to i) collect information systematically; ii) integrate the most relevant information; iii) build a mental model of the system structure (to represent problems efficiently and appropriately); iv) make forecasts, plans, and decisions; and v) set and balance goals (to find solutions) [88]. As seen in the indicators, integrating the most relevant information requires knowledge and insight, including prior knowledge that can be known through reflective abstraction. ...
... CPS requires a complex set of cognitive operations such as planning and executing actions, building models, and self-control [88]. In CPS, there is a knowledge repeat. ...
span lang="EN-US">Complex problem solving (CPS) is a new paradigm in solving problems and is one of the soft skills needed to face the industrial revolution 4.0. Reflective abstraction is associating and modifying pre-existing conceptions into new situations. This article reviews research on CPS and reflective abstraction. This research is needed to know the relationship between reflective abstraction and CPS. The systematic writing of this review was assisted by the Publish or Perish 7 application, Mendeley, and VOSviewer. A literature search was performed through the ScienceDirect and ERIC databases. Based on the search results with the term “complex problem solving” and several exclusion criteria, 58 articles were found, whereas with the word “reflective abstraction” there were 23 articles, totaling 81 papers. Based on the literature review, it was found that there is a relationship between CPS and reflective abstraction by obtaining common ground in the form of prior knowledge. CPS requires prior knowledge from reflective abstraction to integrate the most relevant information. To improve CPS, efforts and special attention can be made to build initial knowledge through reflective abstraction. This article contributes to further research and becomes a study for the themes of CPS and reflective abstraction in learning and education.</span
... In coping with emergencies, which are well described by complexity theory, decision makers must possess excellent problem-solving skills. In this field, the study of "complex problem solving" (CPS) [26,[57][58][59] has developed over the last 30 years. Complex problem solving (CPS) is an area of cognitive science concerned with studying, under ecological and laboratory conditions, decision makers' approach to solving complex problems [59][60][61]. ...
Decisions are a crucial aspect of human life, especially when made in emergency contexts. This research involved 348 subjects, evaluating the relationship between socio-demographic variables and the choice of one of the proposed emergency scenarios suitable for reproducing a decision-making condition in an emergency. Three scenarios were presented: one on climate change, one on pandemics, and one on seismic events. The survey captured individuals’ perceptions of the scenarios for dimensions such as realism (present, past, and future), emotions, risk, worry, emergency, catastrophe, immediate choice, and immediate decision. The results suggest that age, gender, education, and previous experience are predictive factors for subjects’ preferences regarding the chosen scenario and their evaluation of the related dimensions. To optimize decisions in emergencies by institutional decision makers and crisis managers, it is useful to expand knowledge and have data relevant to this area. This research provides a basis in terms of data and tools for designing future research and studies on decision making in emergency contexts.
... This approach results in highly complex problems with high-level similarities to real-world problems. However, (a) their application requires a very long testing time, and (b) they fail to employ common theoretical frameworks to produce comparable problems in a systematic way (Funke, 2001;Funke & Frensch, 2007). In addition, (c) participants' performance is influenced by many other factors, such as prior knowledge about the problem context, not only their problem-solving skills (Greiff et al., 2015). ...
In the 21st century, complex problem-solving (CPS) serves as a key indicator of educational achievement. However, the elements of successful CPS have not yet been fully explored. This study investigates the role of strategic exploration and different problem-solving and test-taking behaviors in CPS success, using logfile data to visualize and quantify students’ problem-solving behavior on 10 CPS problems with different characteristics and levels of difficulty. Additionally, in the present study, we go beyond the limits of most studies that focus on students’ problem-solving behavior pattern analyses in European cultures and education systems to examine Arabic students’ CPS behavior. The results show that computer-based assessments of CPS are feasible and valid in Jordanian higher education. The findings also confirm the structural validity of CPS, indicating that the processes of knowledge acquisition (KAC) and knowledge application (KAP) can be distinguished and separated in the problem-solving process. Large differences were identified in students’ test-taking behavior in terms of the efficacy of their exploration strategy. We identified four latent classes based on the students’ exploration strategy behavior. The study thus leads to a better understanding of how students solve problems and behave during the problem-solving process in uncertain situations.
... In adults, Complex Problem Solving (CPS) is "(...) the successful interaction with task environments that are dynamic (i.e., change as a function of the user's interventions and/or as a function of time) and in which some, if not all, of the environment's regularities can only be revealed by successful exploration and integration of the information gained in that process" (Funke, 2003). The assessment of CPS abilities entails the possibility of an active interaction between the person to be assessed and the assessment instrument (Frensch & Funke, 1995). For example, the microworld "Lohausen" required a participant to govern a small city, which was intricately simulated with more than 1000 different and interconnected variables (Dörner et al., 1983). ...
With this article, we address some of the theoretical and methodological issues faced when attempting to take a developmental approach to understand a psychological phenomenon that encompasses the entire lifespan, that is, from birth to old age. Most prominent among these issues is the challenge of defining and operationalizing a psychological construct valid for the entire lifespan. This entails both the questions of measurement equivalence and continuity and change in the theoretical meaning of a construct. We discuss six different psychological constructs from this perspective. The question that we ask throughout this endeavor is (with a twinkle in our eye) whether adults and young children are members of two different species. From a biological perspective, they are, of course, members of the same species, homo sapiens sapiens. However, the answer might need to be clarified from a cognitive developmental perspective. First, it is difficult to define a construct continuously across the entire lifespan. Hence, the question remains whether constructs such as depression or the self are similar or even the same in early childhood and old age. Second, it is impossible to apply the same measures to assess the constructs across the lifespan. Third, competencies, knowledge, and processing strategies change substantially, particularly from early childhood to later ages. Consequently, it appears that members of the “extreme ends” of the life span, infants and the elderly, seem to be members of “two different species.” However, once we have a theoretical understanding of which less specific measurement is equivalent, we can start to link the data on the construct development. Thus, we are not comparing apples and oranges because we build into the analyses the theoretically justified assumption that a limited set of lifespan developmental principles must and can explain how apples turned into oranges.
... CPS skills are inherently multidimensional, equipping individuals to solve complex real-life problems now and in the future (Eichmann et al., 2019;Grežo & Sarmány-Schuller, 2022;Mustafić et al., 2019;Wu & Molnár, 2022). In CPS, the start state, goal state, and the gap between them are complex, dynamic, opacity, and interactivity Frensch & Funke, 1995a;Mustafić et al., 2019). CPS entails closing the gap between a start state and a goal state through a sequence of cognitive and behavioral steps (Frensch & Funke, 1995b;Grežo & Sarmány-Schuller, 2022). ...
Planning is an important component of complex problem-solving (CPS) skills, exerting a profound impact on student learning and development. Previous studies have primarily employed variable-centered methods to explore the influence of planning on CPS skills, thereby neglecting the dynamic role and mechanisms of planning as a metacognitive strategy in CPS processes. Through the use of sequence analysis of process data drawn from the finite state automata measurement framework within the PISA 2012 assessment, our study underscores the importance of planning in the inception of goal-directed behaviors, while also revealing typological differences in the use of planning strategy. By examining the role, mechanisms, and typologies of planning strategy, this study offers considerable pedagogical insights for enhancing CPS instruction.
Educational relevance statement: The study demonstrates that planning is instrumental in initiating goal-directed behaviors and enhencing interactions quality in CPS process. It sheds light on distinct typological differences in the use of planning strategies. Moreover, the use of planning is closely intertwined with motivation, cognitive load and personality traits. The findings advocate for instruction that is tailored to individual students’ planning typologies, incorporating tailored scaffolding to foster CPS skills. Further research into personalized planning interventions has the potential to translate these insights into enhanced practical applications.
This review aims to map studies on governmental and institutional decision-making pro- cesses in emergencies. The literature reveals various approaches used by governments in managing emergencies. Consequently, this article suggests the need for a systematic literature review to outline how institutional decision-makers operate during emergencies. To achieve this goal, the most widely used databases in psychological research were consulted, with a specific focus on selecting scientific articles. Subsequently, these studies were rigorously assessed for their relevance using a structured literature selection process following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. At the conclusion of the review process, nine studies were identified, each suggesting different methods by which governments manage emergencies. This diversity arises because emergency decision-making processes must account for numerous variables that change depending on the type of crisis and the specific context. However, several critical aspects have emerged, such as the centrality of pre-disaster planning to im- prove intervention practices and methods, attention to information gaps that inevitably arise during an emergency, and the importance of streamlining and delegating decision-making to emergency responders in the field to counter the phenomenon of centralized decision-making that often hampers crucial interventions during emergencies.
Programming is acknowledged widely as a cornerstone skill in Computer Science education. Despite significant efforts to refine teaching methodologies, a segment of students is still at risk of failing programming courses. It is crucial to identify potentially struggling students at risk of underperforming or academic failure. This study explores the predictive potential of students’ problem-solving skills through dynamic, domain-independent, complex problem-solving assessment. To evaluate the predictive potential of complex problem-solving empirically, a case study with 122 participants was conducted in the undergraduate Introductory Programming Course at the University of Maribor, Slovenia. A latent variable approach was employed to examine the associations. The study results showed that complex problem-solving has a strong positive effect on performance in Introductory Programming Courses. According to the results of structural equation modeling, 64% of the variance in programming performance is explained by complex problem-solving ability. Our findings indicate that complex problem-solving performance could serve as a significant, cognitive, dynamic predictor, applicable to the Introductory Programming Course. Moreover, we present evidence that the demonstrated approach could also be used to predict success in the broader computing education community, including K-12, and the wider education landscape. Apart from predictive potential, our results suggest that valid and reliable instruments for assessing complex problem-solving could also be used for assessing general-purpose, domain-independent problem-solving skills in computing education. Likewise, the results confirmed the positive effect of previous programming experience on programming performance. On the other hand, there was no significant direct effect of performance in High School mathematics on Introductory Programming.
With the evolution of traditional production towards smart manufacturing, humans and machines interact dynamically to handle complex production systems in semi-automated environments when full automation is not possible. To avoid undesirable side effects, and to exploit the full performance potential of experts, it is crucial to consider the human perspective when developing new technologies. Specifically, human sub-tasks during machine operation must be described to gain insights into cognitive processes. This research proposes a cognition-based framework by integrating a number of known psychological concepts. The focus is on the description of cognitive (team) processes in the resolution of anomalies within a manufacturing process with interdisciplinary experts working together. An observational eye tracking study with retrospective think-aloud interviews
(N = 3) provides empirical evidence for all cognitive processes proposed in the framework, such as regular process monitoring and—in case of a detected anomaly—diagnosis, problem solving, and resolution. Moreover, the role of situation awareness, individual expertise and (cognitive) team processes is analyzed and described. Further, implications regarding a human-centered development
of future production systems are discussed. The present research provides a starting point for understanding and supporting cognitive (team) processes during intelligent manufacturing that will dominate the production landscape within Industry 5.0.
Renewable energy penetration varies largely for different countries. A combination of factors, such as weather, availability of resources, technological level, politics, economic strength, and many others, play a role in deciding the level of renewables penetration. Malaysia, a country with a tropical climate, holds promising potential for a variety of renewable energy types, namely solar, biomass, hydroelectric, and wind. While renewables are encouraged for all countries to adopt, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 7, expanding carelessly would yield unintended consequences, especially for a developing nation such as Malaysia. As the deployment and expansion of renewable energies is a complex problem, this study utilizes a systems approach, namely system dynamics, to model and simulate the behaviors of identified key indicators for the prediction of penetration of renewable energies in Malaysia. Results show that renewable energy growth in the country cannot keep up with its economic growth and nonrenewable counterpart but could be useful in slowing down conventional energy expansions as long as there are available renewable resources.
Although a sizable body of knowledge is prerequisite to expert skill, that knowledge must be indexed by large numbers of patterns
that, on recognition, guide the expert in a fraction of a second to relevant parts of the knowledge store. The knowledge forms
complex schemata that can guide a problem's interpretation and solution and that constitute a large part of what we call physical
intuition.
The development of mental arithmetic is approached from a mathematical perspective, focusing on several process models of arithmetic performance which have grown out of the chronometric methods of cognitive psychology. These models, based on hypotheses about the nature of underlying mental operations and structures in arithmetic, generate quantitative predictions about reaction time performance. A review of the research suggests a developmental trend in the mastery of arithmetic knowledge—there is an initial reliance on procedural knowledge and methods such as counting which is followed by a gradual shift to retrieval from a network representation of arithmetic facts. A descriptive model of these mental structures and processes is presented, and quantitative predictions about children's arithmetic performance at various stages of mastery are considered.
A description of a theory of problem-solving in terms of information processes amenable for use in a digital computer. The postulates are: "A control system consisting of a number of memories, which contain symbolized information and are interconnected by various ordering relations; a number of primitive information processes, which operate on the information in the memories; a perfectly definite set of rules for combining these processes into whole programs of processing." Examples are given of how processes that occur in behavior can be realized out of elementary information processes. The heuristic value of this theory is pertinent to theories of learning, perception, and concept formation.
Two experiments are described based on a dynamic systems control task previously shown to favour implicit learning. Subjects asked to verbalize their reasoning whilst performing the task showed significantly improved task performance. This result is in line with suggestions that concurrent verbalization may facilitate task performance. Presentation of graphical information representing the behaviour of the system also aids learning. Both concurrent verbalization and graphical representations probably have the effect of increasing the efficiency with which the available task information is assimilated. When both these aids are available to subjects, the effects of one may be masked by the effects of the other. This would account for the results of previous studies in which no effect of concurrent verbalization has been found. After relatively few exchanges with the system some subjects appear to be developing verbal task knowledge; this may represent the initial stages in the development of a mental model of the system.
Three experiments explore the relationship between performance on a cognitive task and the explicit or reportable knowledge associated with that performance (assessed here by written post-task questionnaire). They examine how this relationship is affected by task experience, verbal instruction and concurrent verbalization. It is shown that practice significantly improves ability to control semi-complex computer-implemented systems but has no effect on the ability to answer related questions. In contrast, verbal instruction significantly improves ability to answer questions but has no effect on control performance. Verbal instruction combined with concurrent verbalization does lead to a significant improvement in control scores. Verbalization alone, however, has no effect on task performance or question answering.
The study deals with the effects of various conditions of problem presentation on solving complex problems, which are characterized by the use of dynamic models. In the framework of knowledge psychology external problem representations (“presentations”) are related to knowledge representations of a problem solver. In the paper, categories for the systematic description of semantic and formal aspects of presentations are introduced and discussed, and their implications for problem-solving demands and the formulation of hypotheses considered. An experiment is described where 36 novices had to solve complex problems in the field of pharmacokinetics. The presentation extent and presentation form of the model structure were varied (two levels each), and the effects on problem-solving behavior observed. A “high presentation extent” resulted in better problem-solving performance and more frequent retrieval of model-related presentations. No significant differences in problem-solving behavior were found when the presentation form was a model diagram emphasizing structural or process aspects, respectively. Finally, comparisons within groups were made and connections between performance on the complex problems and a paper-and-pencil test examined.
The purpose of this study was to derive inductively a taxonomy of managerial performance requirements from many empirical studies of manager perfor- mance. Toward that end, 26 dimension sets were first gathered from published and unpublished studies of manager performance. Most of these studies in- volved critical incidents, and all of them were empirically based. lbenty-five industrial psychologists experienced in research on managers then indepen- dently sorted the 187 managerial performance dimensions into categories ac- cording to perceived similarity in content. These sortings were used to construct a pooled 187 times 187 correlation matrix, and the matrix was factor analyzed. The 18-factor solution is offered as an inductively derived, expert judgment-based summary of managerial performance requirements, using data from many manager jobs and numerous organizations. This taxonomy is compared to other dimension sets, and its potential usefulness discussed.
In a multistage gambling process, a gambler is required to apportion his capital over the available alternatives, and is paid according to the outcome of the game. His problem is to choose a betting policy that is optimal with respect to some criterion. Examinations of logarithmic and power utility functions yield proportional stationary Markov betting policies which are generalized to cases where the vector of probabilities of outcomes is unknown. The sensitivity of the model to departures from optimality is investigated.Twenty-nine subjects participated individually in a multiple-choice multistage gambling experiment. While neither the logarithmic nor the power model was strictly supported, the former was favored by the data. Both the current amount of capital and the pattern of previous outcomes, irrelevant factors in both models, were found to affect subjects' betting decisions.
