COOPERATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Age group:

14-18

Keywords:

Cooperation, Situational Activity, Teamwork, Motivation.

Time required:

50 minutes

Number of people:

Between 15 and 25

Equipment, materials, and space needed:

Situation cards, colored

chalks, white a4 paper. indoor activity. Activity explored and suggested by: Liceul Technologic Zeyc Domokos - Romania.

Aim of the method: To learn what cooperation means, to recognise the nature of the participants’ reactions (quickness, situational awareness, leadership style, compliance), to build on the participants’ psychological-motivational skills, and to find viable ways to solve a given problem.

Preparation: Gathering the situation cards, paper, chalks, changing the tables and chairs, so that three people can sit together.

DESCRIPTION

INTRO The facilitator asks the participants: “Do you consider yourself a problem solver? Do you take an active role in group tasks?”. These questions work as starting point for the activity and set the mood for it.

EXPERIENCE The facilitator creates groups of 3 participants. In order to do so, the facilitator can assign a number to each participant so that the groups are created according to the numbers. Each group receives a (different) situation card with a problem to solve.

1. You are a waiter in a small restaurant. A client asks: “I would order a roast duck leg with stuffed ribs.” You are not sure if there is any duck in the kitchen. Please describe what are the best possible ways to solve this situation.

2. You are the only receptionist in a busy, but small hotel. A guest staying with you on the 1st floor for a few weeks already had a small, light package delivered to the hotel. She calls you and says “Please pick up my package and bring it to the elevator door of the 2nd floor!” Please describe what are the best possible ways to solve this situation.

3. You just presented the ins and outs of a chocolate factory, including a small tasting of the end products, to a group of highschool students and say. “The tour has now ended you can now pick some of the types of chocolates to take home.” One of the students says: “Can I please have a 1 kg. of peanuts and a bit of that French chocolate!” Please describe what are the best possible ways to solve this situation.

After reading the situations, the participants have to find strategies to solve the problem. It is important to explain to the groups that each of its members should take a concrete role for solving the problem. For example: one member can think about what the goal is, another can deal with the methods to use to reach the goal, another one can define what to prioritize in the process to reach the goal, etc. When all the groups have finished, they can swap the situation cards among them and explore new problem solving strategies.

DEBRIEFING The facilitator promotes a final discussion about the activity, based on questions such as: “How was it?”, “How did the tasks make you feel?”, “What do you think is the right, viable way to better perform those tasks?”, amongst other. This moment should allow the group to discuss positive and negative aspects about collective problem solving.