ATTACHMENT A METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: PROBLEM SOLVING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP55-00037A000200030018-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 14, 2006
• Sequence Number: 18
• Content Type: REGULATION

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ATTACHMENT
1IAL ) r ?I I$JM1AG
peseree, Me most impoetant goal oe any enstrection io to prepare the stu-
dent to MIE* and solve ehe probese vhieb confront hire Teis es referred
to frequertle "teacheng how te think" or "how to reeeore' 'ioveeer it
mne be defined, preparing the ineivedual to orgaelea and utilize all a his
4zifipac!,tie,s ji?G umr setuation is the tine], objemtive of luseeuetion,
If the solution of problems constitutes one of the important eepects of
human existence, then it nay be proatatile to review 'what psychologists
believe is the "reaspnieg" or "thinking" prOCOP6 applied to these problems?
This examination will show why It le neeesseee to give a large place in may
enstructional prograa to a methoe of teaohing that vial enable the imilvidual
to inereaae his ability to solve bao problems,
51e09:0,214dle. "Wm4aan vrtoox
L Psychologists agese that thihking starts with a problee or Ifelt dif-
ficulty," Whatever it Ise it la a nproblem," because the habitua;1 wiArs
of reacting to that situatioe have been unsatisfactorye
b, The next re resene is that the existenme of the problcm be recogtisedi,
its nature defined elear:ey and. concisely@ Mane people are only vAguely
aware that a perplexity exists, They bring no freetal etteck upoe eev
because they fail to see and deam It cierLy
e, Ode* the problem ie definede a poseible solution or heopthesit must be
formulated, This hypothesee is esuaLle a milecers of uhat is knove
(experience and tenenieg) ane those new meenings ouggeeted by the imagin-
ation,
e, Once a hypothesis le proposee, ell tee its fasters eve ex:waned cretecalAy
te appraise or asseas their eigniticeee4 to that hypotheses, All pos-
sible consequences of the elypetbesie ere "thought 7er0 a propoeed
solution found wantiag must be uaet eeide and new ones fonvilated and
eenmlned until one is foued that &fees reasonable promese of suocle3s.
e. Finally 'we act on ene propoeed uolution and the reasoned-oat relation-
sheps, The results of the firat experience in epplying the solution
mai develop new problems or pheyes or thin problam heretofore katttn,m,
welch again, will r9quire ebe appliceLlon er tee reasoning procese,
Jat!t maw 121Y1
the trainee thro
'.4aineng problem?
Ireate "real"
erainee,
zeN124, Peeblem soleleg ee a eeadhing method which gulden
the reasoning preetse reeeesare to the solution of a
The training problems ZO QOPEK,1 are of the most value when
or "live" problems siullar to those likely to confront the
The genevil entlenee of the reekoed. wre tbs saw as the five steps described.
ee the "reasoning" or "thinkeng" proease The instructor, from the teaching
etandpoint must realise his rosponeibility to the steeent in each of these
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Niro
ee eele ete eeeatest valve from this instructional metee,e
.eieseelee leetlieeaeple. The instructor responaibill,ty here ie te ereata
problem beilt on anticipated "felt needs" or real diffice'iteee of the
students. The problem nust be defined clearlev for the etudent er he
must be aeoisted in localizing it so that he will acquir th tecnique
of analyzing problems which confront him,
2=22112UA 12E 4222E4112 1211113.211e In this sten?) the student ot 'etue
dent groepe, Independently,* or ander the direction of thinetructore
eonstrart hype-theses, If the problem is constructed properly, these
eroposel eelutioes eill arise from the subject matter, ektLie:e, and tech-
weluee ehich eare taught previousleve Bore the instructor guides the
eeehent 'e thinking and activity principally be suggestioh.
T-4-k-111447, 21At tymeteeeig, In this phase the activity of the otudent is
?rved by the !e.nstructor for evidence that the student is finding and
? r. ali of the factors- and their relationships which influence
? Fratteaio, Here, too, the instructor must keep the student from
eesoetele ray efield in order that the desired learning will take
:leeeeeeeee W. emluelee, The completion of the problem affords the
r r.epportunity to review 4th his students both the success
e eeeet eetee1ere and the effectiveness of the problem-solving tech.
tied
t21,411: Ztalgtta iht RtWEI1120 el mase,
Ihg saagattma2r, guile,- Problem solving is an excellent
tool of teaching for integrating techniques and other instruction Which
has been presented In an unrelated faehion, This applies especially to
Instruction involveng coordinated individual or group actions such as
tactical exercises and plans. In inielating the planning of such probe
lemeo the inetructer must be very preeipe in establishing the objectives
of the problem and in deinine them clearly, For examplei such an ob-
iective night be .1.0. teach. it Mal 111111 122W, .161 DIM mat mama a la=
9S. etallea tuRealigeee rit, emereencv
:imam:101190u (eli objeetivee must be stated with relation to the
gtqriera atns of the c:ovree,,) It should follow that the problem pre-
eented is eee40 thee, is, it is AMEely to be encountered by the student
1.1X his future asagutent, The entire framework and detail of the prob-
lem must re3ate cray to these objectives and not involve extraneous tech-
niqees knoeledgte, or skills unknown to the student,
e, aleeilaz eleeeeldeegHehe peeklem,5 Loving established the objectiveo
of the problem to be presented to the atudentep the instructor glieg sat
down in detail all the factors and requirements of that problem which
would likely be present in a =Al situation, Once these factors have
been examined they should be arranged in the order and relationship they
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121'0 Most Licely to.:11041/..:t.ritb, each other. The line,.
mins that the problem lseids to a soluti:On or ,SeintienC,COnsistent with
the objecti.oli-,:eritfireblem,c. All aements Or.,:the,,prebdeit situation
PrDclade aott6p4.3?'on the part of the stUdent-.or.:StUdente uhich are
rthat'.objective.
-yr Altaic& Treinihg conditiona 43 problem
7)...n:racq, always duplidate those to..be,-,0*Peetedipt. axxca situa-
t may
be .desirahle no to attempt to duplicate all of
t3.0?, el6steettr.1 of. the real situation. Same of -them':.W144!,-frequire the
. , .
1,...;tutieWf.. accdrfplish ,tasks not yet metered. -0?.net:p4ating,directly
-tho?p.-1,4c../ple skills or 'techniques to be tatight,...bi".:7?the-. problem. The
. must study the problem carefully.and.:e*.traeti,those'itets so
tilatt rav .6onserve the student's time by reliciringth.e.:.:-etudent of
reeporm0 t:+1.1 it'!" for theni:or for using them as addition4:'.,cOntrol factors.
r.toz?..t ...i..nAtancesp.this can be dons in establishing the or
? .for
the :student or the group. The student must understand
the situation is and where be his groUp,.. or team is to-
r.lit1.0Zie must be the same for all Individuals or groups.
rt those :.real factors which cannot be duplicated in the
71' 0 131i.N: ttiatii011 mnst be isola.ted from .theplooblem..-..eitnation-. Also
aS will encumber the student or:lend .little to the
ti-,6 techniques required by the objectives should be set
4,11 tkopeetbs. of the problem situation are prepared for the stk-
lastructoro These factors, in general9 are the assmptions
n.oirkg of the problem which start the student or group toward
do Cor_itzgaine alg mama ,gf 1111 RE24113. Tho. control of the problem as
STAT
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it progresbeCi htaineCby the carefully dee ni iaI.?Etagiug
-
and bynthko4ramewOrkZorAWproblem as it develops einstructo
must anticipate llthesituations to be met by the.StUdents the meter-
,
11.0,19 .actiritie &c1ts and understandings de eMIldedioe,44 all the pos-
ablo -aat4na_.tmight be chosen by the student. '-Here .again the
. _
inistrunn.,mnIalliew:Tossible influences and..actiel*,4th relation
to th6 Qbjett: ;4,-* ':.-the :lesson. A4 tiulse situations.Unfold some
r theiSeiVes Az appropriatP, checkpoints for the instructor
on the stadentOf These control points may be used to:goide or redirect
the student if he:is Proceeding ineorrectly, 110ns elements.msy.be intro-
duced into the situation at the points to which, the-stiinO4t must con-
tinue to apply the problem-solving technique. The-i,hatrUCtor tany find
it neceasery to.provide the student or group with.en-acceptable sol
tion of the probleunthrough'that phase so that the trainee may analyze
Ma errors or :poor judgments,, In this manner the'trainee:wil/ get the
valup. of the instruation he did not Complete successfully and will also
'no,00nared to:meet'later phases of the problem, -
4.W41,s14?Arial giguatilig fat LtvAnt imasarmatn. Problem solvina
pontnps9 the.best.instructional method 'for evaluating.students and
ocrformances, as it requires more from the student than profit!-
: :nn,6a in apecific subject-matter and Skillrn, It demands the integre-
nnr ll special abilities, the eznrcise of reasoning and judgment
n ovainee and the dinpla; by the student of some intangible per-
nooi fnotors such as leaderships, initiatives and imagination The
..:,,tiona1 problem must indicate cIearly what is to be evaluated dor-
-, i-Loki at the conclusion of the problem, The instructor must set -up
-,,untIVO criteria for each phast nf the problem as well as for thio
..non problem. These should be stated clearly to the trainees in term&
' la to be donspnd how ail it it to be done,
:-)noo:.,w sat Um grs2121,0,,, The cxitIquktz of n problem is a valuable in
. oriel tool,., Here tho .1-71 anework a;dam ,E9S,A0, twat
.tailed and the Virst and 1.19y1,, tudent performance am:1y' zed and
againat the possible aolutions of the problems and the level
tel.rottent required by the instrw tor,: All paseib.1* solution.* K,,,t
probism, or aw of its phasesc, should be cowered and evaluated,
problem must always be subject to modification atter valid criti-
olvm, The instructor must be Et 2tostat of his problem--showing a readi-
oese to learn the deficiencies in his instruction and to adopt suggested
techniqoas to insure a higher &Agree of instruction and reality0
littitaatol aud =Waal flaw= d am:41am Va. in-planwd
problems of courses will result from a lack of thorough study and reoliza-
tion of the potentialities of available times,' equipment and terrain. These
are always considered in planning instruction?,
Add gaimed4 m ingStragla mak= la isaatm itatma ancl awmareza
nial. Although the instructor may not appear to occupy the center of at-
tention in some aspects of the problem methods he. is an important cog in
the machinery of this ?method. The tendency is to individualism in problem
solution. Whatever the direct approach, the degree to which .the- instructor
himself is a master of problem solving will beer a direct ,relation to the
effectiveness of his direction of others in the process. An-instructor who
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has tlio'ittiiitt:
mento
d Ii beit:.:11of probi
:1:*i?a,4?,,,?,.,-
iS a
1,V,11,:47
hoidevero
rdhigthielearlys
'*nthesite and draw
tudents In their
6UidanceAn problem
nightP
?
? ' tier' irj tiz d
?????
isoeri-
c711Iu41:r-the':dif
accuracy
teh
_ trix,,n-
a?1vA ficultng 1.21
hat..14.
. . .
suggested list otT rules which every instruotor should
a guide in this task.) /t is well for ths'inZtructor
that ? the' order of raltn will vary witht.the?Procedure ?
:?
Gat the ntudents. to WIRE the problem at issue and ,keep It clearly in
mind?
b, Get tho students to moll as many related ideas as possible by en3our-
*
aging them: ,
To analyze the situation,
.To formulate definite hypothe6m,s and to rectal general rules or
Iv:Loci/3;11es that may apply,
the students '-to =bait camel:Illy each suggestion by enzouraging
!'O maintain an attitudv of usbiaaed, suspended, judgment or concla-
, !At.; students to =AVM their raterial so as to aid in the prom-iss
1,..o-11:14.ag by encouraging them:
?
a..tsza? from time to rdEle,
400 mothods pf tabvlation arld graphio exprosSi0a,
mprono concise.y tentsttvo!, ooncleztons reached from time
-One during the inquiry,
gf trablomaimi, The kinds of problems (or problsituations) uspd
the problml-solving mothod of instructien.are as varied as there aro
Lraintag nitup+.1.0ns? Although the texmaroAtp,E1.19,,IABE may be applied to
one-technive or single skills usually it pertains to those prob-
J. which require the students to integrate knowledge s skillss and tea-
nliToes into action which will bring a solution to the problem,. Several of .
those problemsolving methods have proven of particular value for the.Ylinds
training situations which will likely confront instructors of this or-
daaization., They are the case study the live problems the field problem,
avld the planning or "paper" problem, ?
a:. 1121_9= Atlayo The case study problem is based on the student's
(1
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a le,lysis of an operational history especially prepared f,)r Instructional
plArpoves, The case study must contain the essential factors in agree-
ment with the objectives of the instructor It may be treated in a
positive or negative way9 that is in a way at to emphanze the sue-
The
ILI ult =Alm, live problem is so constructed as to confront the
'Audent with a situation ditch requires the exercise of the mental and
-motional processes of an acttlal operation. In such a problem the
-atruetors and stiidents assume the various characterizations required hy
e 3ituation, It is particulexly valuable as it may be used to evai-
uestel the student as a person inasmuch as it Should be an actlim
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?00 Nisol %610 ittad
eeee of ether instructiono it provedes an op rtunt e ler ete eeudeet
r'Ceperetienel priecIplea,
,he rineiples of problem eonetreeeee mese be ap-
e eeetedne during the preperettee of e 'lee ereblere. The
rt,or .11J3t. determine enet ln tt'i be teuent le, tee proelem?
elemente should be thooe presented In the ceulee or eubject
and evaluated as to their eignificanee, As e natter ef principle
the problem is a carefully constructed experiment in .th.l.ch all
the factors are controller) except eheee ee be Uwe., end, of
coursed the student.. Thew factor e which lIttett tee activities
of the student reiduce the value of thel problen in restrIctl,ng
his freedom,; thee limiting factors channel hie aetions and
thc:reby decrease the valoe of the assessment, of the etalnee,
.tlium4Aliet, The printiples applying to the preparation of the
etedent and the iestructor for the problem are of great importanceo
MO student's brieting test contain a elear?) concise statement of
eituatien with a defielte aesignmeot for the etudent, No
etedent will be abXe to proceed successfully until he andorstands
eeth, The instructor 'e bAefing sheet meet eontein all possibil-
ettes or action, in the preblem as wedl as tno complete informa-
eleu uaed. Instruetione aust be clear 1.,J the instructors 112 to
eee eeaetioes to be, preeented the etudeet le respenee to varioue
z.oisehtts, ChtrinE,' thc progreee or the peoblemp the instructor
eeee eellize the chackpeints establlehed on the rtudente Realism
1.e Instilled by' the inseretter by adopting the attitudes'and
.evele of eenversatLon assigned to the enareeterization he is
To unfold the eritieal stepe ef the problem point ty
-ti critique is &P effective mosee of iretiating the
A?On ef the problem. Thie provides an opportunity to review
17e, peoeible action at tbove pniete end to analyze the factors of
joegment aupporting earious actione, Dnreng the problem and at
nee eritique some nechanieae retordleg ef the' atueent's perform-
eeee is helpful for the instruelor'e evaleetdon ol' the etudent,
7J recordings 'en not be 'Tiede or the fuli. discusseons the eve of
u elle& list la helpfLU Agate, th probtem critiquito 1,8 an oppor-
tunity to centinue the? motivaeiee of the atudent tar hie work and
to provide a soured Wf suegestion for ehe impronetent oi the prob-
lem,
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Vero vftri *err
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) .6 typt, c,f proble.v; ;Bet is too advhnoied,,
The instructor must pro rid 6 opportunities trt. thin the problem for
th! st,olonts to use their' imaginstion,, iflpenuAty, and ...knitiative
solving the probjtIm Veguep uncertAirt, or ambIF!?uouv situations
IMN iSCATO:Lled akia pro blotto , The tz.-Ektaingg.vn ii.thth tne
be 91fi and any unix4As tofltUt..1014:13 arising
t; requlre techniques beyond tne ski Li of the trainer,s o-111
destroy the feJ ue of the rerne),nder f 1'4., problem
T.he iru3tructor conducting the field problem stould be
thoroue-hly f?3,:ti liar ii th the tactical or tee.hhital. principle S 47,f
the applicatory exercise as well as how -rt.i onduc t. critique.?
A critique j. s, ntetb-p3 if instruction The inotrqctor mast plan
critiquo tu reufl his problam It will be necesoar,y
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44400 '%avio *kvaii
during the perforoance for the instructor to mien ror epoc;,iic
example or good and poor porformances to male beLef notes In
the techniques and proceduzes used and how they could be imp7oved
to meet the standard he has established, The crttique must be
held as soon as possible following the completion or the problem
and in the semm locatiou or on the same terrain over which the
problem wae eonducted,
(4) Platt= iu :tok WS a2141 ZESSIUSIA,
(a)
Use ccepetition,?
(is)
(2a)
Desirable as a motivating factor.
Should not be allowed to develop ill feeling amok;
the men.
(b) Keep to objectives when Dotting up field problem,
(c)
Avoid problems reqwiring the application of too many newly
presentPA principles and procedures:,
(1) Plan problem in teIms of the entire training situation.
(la) Condition of the men,
(2a) Their other aesignments.
Plan for adequate amount of time,
(la) Field problems consume more time than any other method
of instruction,
(2a) Field problems should be scheduled at the place in the
training program where it will be most effective0
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