Getting students to generate their own problems to solve

CHED 404

Robinson Roacho, riroacho2@miners.utep.edu and James E. Becvar, jbecvar@utep.edu. Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX 79968
The Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) Program at UTEP has increased the C-or-better pass rate in general chemistry by 21% since its inception in fall 2000. The Chemistry PLTL Program has a significant number of international peer leaders. Learning science in a foreign country has had a positive effect on developing a personal style of PLTL. The “Old-School” rudimentary techniques and lack of advanced technology in my home country of Mexico influenced my instruction; for example, I teach my students to come up with their own problems instead of relying on already-worked examples to reinforce what has been learned. Students in Mexico have more practice solving problems while students here let the computers do much of the work. I believe that students should create their own problems as a self-question-solve approach to develop critical thinking. The examination scores of students in my workshops have a higher average than the class average.