The procedures in resolving third year students' problems characterization through interviews

Abstract

Taking into account the analysis resulting from individual interview made to same secondary school students (students attending third 3º year). Our research suggests these students approximate to the nature of problem solving and, in so doing, to the various difficulties brought about at their level of education. This research consists of studying how these students start to solve problem, the various procedures they follow, how they study for their tests, how they deal with their work, in which aspects they are more likely to fail; and finally, how they deal with new situations. Further more, it is necessary to point out that the research is carried out with two groups of students whose school marks were generally low. The knowledge of procedures is analyzed by means of the use of Flavell`s classification. The results reveal that most of these students lack of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, that they need permanent external references, that they neither solvenor face new situations, etc. These analyses, together with their correspondent interpretation, are used in order to discuss some interesting pedagogical implications.