ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses on problem-solving issues and looks at creative problem solving. It reviews a common-sense approach to problem solving and explains the IDEAL approach put forward by J. D. Bransford and M. Stein. They proposed a model for improving problem-solving skills. The components of the approach are identifying, defining, exploring, anticipating, looking back. The chapter also examines the six-stage process and the nine-stage process of creative problem solving and illustrates with an example. The six stages are: objective finding, fact finding, problem finding, idea finding, and solution finding. The nine stages are analysing the environment to find potential problems, objective finding, fact finding, problem finding, idea finding, solution finding, acceptance finding, and controlling to ensure that objectives are achieved post-implementation. The chapter presents some of the limitations on formal problem-solving approaches. It also looks at the important trend towards improvisational creative problem solving, discussing practical and theoretical issues.
