ABSTRACT
The problem-solving model provides an efficient and effective framework to assess students’ academic functioning and to use the assessment data to inform and evaluate instructional practices and interventions. This chapter provides a general overview of the problem-solving process as it relates to instructional decisions in mathematics. It discusses the steps of the problem-solving. The chapter describes the problem-solving model as a clear, efficient, and effective framework for applying student data and instructional programming to improve student academic outcomes. The five basic steps in the data-based problem-solving model are problem identification, problem analysis, intervention planning, plan implementation, and progress monitoring and plan evaluation. When schools collect data on all students, rather than analyzing student data in isolation, it is easier to identify trends in student performance across grade levels. Schools use various assessments to evaluate how students are performing academically. Some computer programs have developed a way to track when and what students practice when working on computer-assisted programs.
