Preschoolers' practical thinking and problem-solving: The acquisition of an optimal solution strategy.
Item
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Title
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Preschoolers' practical thinking and problem-solving: The acquisition of an optimal solution strategy.
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Identifier
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AAI9304649
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identifier
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9304649
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Creator
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Cohen, Michael.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Katherine Nelson
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Date
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1992
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Developmental | Psychology, Experimental
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Abstract
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This study was an investigation of preschool aged childrens'(age 3 and 4) problem solving strategies that are used to accomplish a practical, mathematically oriented task. Twenty-four preschool aged children engaged, on three separate occasions, in a mathematically oriented task which consisted of satisfying customer requests for orders of vegetables in a 'play' store setting. Participants also participated in an extensive arithmetic pre and post test. Each order request in the task could be successfully satisfied by a variety of different solution strategies. The number of moves used to satisfy each order, as well as the strategy type employed, was recorded and coded.;Results indicate that participants became significantly more efficient in their solution strategy choice upon repeated exposure to the task. That is, children increasingly chose solution strategies that required fewer physical moves. In order to choose more efficient strategies, children engaged in more abstract arithmetic over the course of the three task trials. In addition, it was determined that children, both individually, and as a group, used a complex repertoire of strategies and these strategies were identified. Particularly, it was determined that preschoolers acquired and used optimal solution strategies.;The results of this research led to the general conclusion that increased efficiency and the increased use of more complex and sophisticated mental activity is a feature of practical thinking. The increased efficiency results in a decrease in physical moves. The results also confirm prior research findings that pre-school children display a repertoire of strategy solutions and are engaged in sophisticated arithmetic mental activity when such activity functions in the service of successfully completing a larger purposeful goal.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
