Collaborative Problem Solving Group

1
Collaborative Problem Solving Group

• Broxburn Academy Cluster,
• West Lothian
• Broxburn Primary, Kirkhill Primary
• Uphall Primary School

2
Aims of the Group

• To improve the provision of collaborative problem
  solving across the transition phase.
• To foster more positive links between the
  Mathematics Department and the Primary schools

3
Guess and Check
The primary teachers formed a sub-group to look
at the problem solving provision in place at the
start of the session. They carried out an action
enquiry and discovered

• All primaries were offering 1 problem solving
  session per week
• Problems were Maths-based
• Cluster schools using common strategies and
  resources
• Language difficulties posed a major problem
  during Problem solving sessions.
• Teaching techniques varied and some staff were
  more confident about facilitating a problem
  solving session than others
• Staff indicated that they would benefit from
  Collaborative working skills training.

4
Primary Focus

• Production of School Policies on Problem Solving
  defining good practice for collaborative working
  in line with Curriculum for Excellence
• The plans have been formed to ensure progression
  at each stage
• Pupil and staff training
• Lynda Keith University of Strathclyde gave an
  enlightening presentation to cluster staff
• Participate fully in Academy initiatives
• Raise the awareness of Problem Solving and
  collaborative working

5
Academy Initiatives

• Also dedicating a slot each week to problem
  solving. More structured lessons so not on an ad
  hoc basis.
• More focus on this during class time trying to
  get the pupils to think for themselves a little
  more.
• Maths Challenge Day for P7s
• Primary visits during exam leave
• Inservice provision for next session

6
Maths Challenge Day

• A morning of Mathematical games, puzzles and
  problems was the start of the transition process

Poster competition Investigating Length the
students were asked to produce a poster under the
heading Investigating Length there were
compulsory elements including Fathoms and
Yards.The posters will be displayed in the
Mathematics department after the event and will
be familiar to them in August.
7
Problem Solving Session
Each team were given 5 problems to solve in a
specified time. They had to decide whether to
split up and try one each or all work on each
problem together. The picture shows the students
trying to fit the shapes into the template to
make specific letters. The links below take you
to the problems.
http//www.mathisfun.com/square
http//www.mathsisfun.com/lettert.html http//www
.mathsisfun.com/letterf.html http//www.mathsisfun
.com/letterh.html
8

• Team Competition
• The mixed ability teams from each primary were
  competing against one another to answer a booklet
  of mathematical problems
• Relay Competition
• Students had to try to answer team questions.
  They had to run to their marker to get it checked
  (who was based at the opposite side of the hall).

9
Games Round
The Sim Game
Two players take it in turns to join with a
straight line a pair of vertices on the circle.
Each player has a different colour of pen and
there are a maximum of 15 lines to be drawn. The
aim is to AVOID completing a triangle in your
colour with the VERTICES on the circle.
10
Round the Clock
Place 12 counters on a clockface. Each player
takes it in turns to remove 1, 2 or 3 cubes
starting with the counter on the 1.
A COUNTER ONCE TOUCHED MUST BE REMOVED and cubes
must be removed in order e.g. 1, 2, 3 NOT 1, 2, 4
The player who removes the counter on the 12
loses the game
11
Sample Introductory Problem
?
Find the value between 1 and 9 for each symbol .
Find the totals for the rows and columns
12
Sample Extension Problem
13
Where do we go from here ?

• All schools have witnessed an improvement in
  the problem solving provision, especially with
  respect to the collaborative approaches.
• Students seem more able to tackle the questions
  but still find it difficult to get started and
  are still looking for teacher input.
• We are currently looking into collaborative
  working skills training and collaborative
  learning as this is a area of weakness for staff.

14
Where do we go from here ?

• The Academy hope that there will be an
  improvement in the Reasoning and Enquiry
  skills/results of the students once this
  programme is up and running which will in turn
  improve the Standard Grade and subsequent Higher
  results.
• We will look at how to incorporate more Problem
  Solving into our day to day teaching of these
  courses
• The primaries and cluster secondary intend to
  continue to work more closely to improve on this
  provision and to improve on the transition phase.