A Theory of Mental Frameworks: Using the learning sciences to improve Problem-Solving
Event: INTED2024
Session time: Monday, 4th of March from 12:30 to 13:45 (UTC+01:00)
Session type: INTERACTIVE
Room: Interactive
Session chair: Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa. Harvard University Extension School (UNITED STATES)

Problem-solving skills are highly valued in modern society and are often touted as core elements of school mission statements, desirable traits for job applicants, and as some of the most complex thinking that the brain is capable of executing. While learning to problem-solve is a goal of education, and many strategies, methodologies and activities exist to help teachers guide the development of these skills, there are few formal curriculum structures or broader frameworks that guide teachers toward the achievement of this educational objective.

This keynote will show how the higher order cognitive functions involved in problem-solving can be rehearsed through different “ways of thinking” or “mental frameworks.” To do this, we will explain how the brain approaches problem-solving using mental framework, how mental frameworks can be learned, and why having multiple mental frameworks enhances the likelihood of strong problem solving skills. The explicit instruction of mental frameworks can help organize and formalize the instruction of thinking skills that underpin problem-solving; the more such models a person learns, the more tools they will have for future complex problem-solving.