STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

         A.      Appraise the problem-solving culture of their workplaces.

         B.      Develop problem-solving skills through participating in individual and group exercises.

         C.      Practice brainstorming at both the individual and group level.

         D.      Analyze the ways in which negative approaches and attitudes impede problem-solving.

         E.      Generate criteria for solutions and contingency plans appropriate for model problems.

         F.      Evaluate a self-designed implementation plan for a theoretical problem.

         G.      Assess the similarities and differences of individual and group problem-solving.

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Problem-Solving Culture in the Workplace

         A.      Identifying the culture

         B.      Factors which motivate problem-solving strategies

         C.      Problem-solving meetings

                 1.      Characteristics of effective group leaders

                 2.      Characteristics of effective group members

         D.      Problem-solving methods

 II.     Problem-Solving Concepts

         A.      Fluency--free-floating quantity of ideas directed at a problem or solution

                 1.      Brainstorming

         B.      Flexibility--learning to see things from a different perspective

         C.      Originality

                 1.      Risking to think creatively

                 2.      Offering workable alternatives

         D.      Elaboration

                 1.      Building on others¿ ideas (creating a framework)

                 2.      Adding the framework onto an existing foundation

 III.    Problem Identification

         A.      Brainstorming

                 1.      Brainstorming definition and techniques

                 2.      Brainstorming guidelines

                 3.      Brainstorming blockers (barriers)

         B.      Clarifying the problem (narrowing the focus)

         C.      Avoiding negative approaches and attitudes to problem-solving

 IV.     Solution Identification

         A.      Criteria for solutions

         B.      Contingency plans

 V.      Solution Implementation

         A.      The solution environment

         B.      Implementation of plans

 VI.     Analyzing the Process

         A.      Meta-cognition

         B.      Evaluation of the problem-solving process

         C.      Evaluation of action steps based on Bloom¿s Taxonomy

 VII.    Individual vs. Group Problem-Solving

         A.      Similarities of individual and group problem-solving

         B.      Differences of group problem-solving