Classroom discussions help students solve complex problems, study finds

Students become more flexible problem-solvers when they discuss topics in groups at school, according to research by Tallinn University researchers reported by ERR.

The study, described by Tallinn University doctoral researcher Heli Aomets, examined how teachers’ skills and thinking relate to students’ ability to solve complex problems. Researchers asked teachers to design a learning task and looked at activities that support learning.

Aomets uses the example of vomit on a carpet: a cleaning product might remove the stain but bleach the colour, leave an odour or damage the carpet. Solving such problems takes more than recalling facts. It also requires checking assumptions, considering how different factors relate and weighing how possible actions could change the situation.

In uncertain situations, students need to be able to question what they know and recognise that the right answer may depend on the circumstances.