Is the Future Problem Solving Program Accomplishing its Goals?

Abstract

This evaluation study investigates whether the Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) accomplishes its goals of helping students enhance their creative thinking abilities, awareness of and interest in the future, as well as communication, problem solving, teamwork, and research skills. Two hundred five students and 32 teacher-coaches completed the survey instruments: What I Learned instrument for students and What My Students Have Learned instrument for coaches. Findings indicate that (a) students and teacher-coaches feel that the FPSP is accomplishing its goals, (b) teacher-coaches' perceptions were significantly more positive than students' perceptions regarding the accomplishment, and (c) Junior (grades 4–6) division students were significantly more positive than Middle (grades 7–9) or Senior (grades 10–12) division students. Discussion of the findings are provided and further studies are suggested.

The Effectiveness of Creativity Training: A Quantitative Review

“…For example, drawing from prior work examining the role of analogies in problem finding and conceptual combination (e.g., Baughman & Mumford, 1995), Castillo (1998) devised analogy identification strategies that appear to contribute to creative problem solving in elementary school students. Finally, Fraiser, Lee, and Winstead (1997), focusing on idea evaluation, used grid appraisal techniques to encourage the evaluation of creative ideas and spur their subsequent refinement. Finally, Fraiser, Lee, and Winstead (1997), focusing on idea evaluation, used grid appraisal techniques to encourage the evaluation of creative ideas and spur their subsequent refinement.…”

Creativity and leadership’s role in gifted identification and programming in the USA: a pilot study

“…Specific programs such as Future Problem Solving Program International (http:// www.fpspi.org/; see also Frasier et al 1997) are well developed and are widely used in both in school and extracurricular contexts in numerous countries. Despite recent evidence for declining creativity scores among students in US schools (Kim 2011), in other countries programming related to creativity development is being widely implemented, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.…”

Applied Practice for Educators of Gifted and Able Learners

“…It stresses the interdisciplinary curriculum, called curriculum of connections, as one of four lenses of studying a concept or a theme. Other curriculum models like TASC ; also see chapter 7 in this book), DISCOVER Problem Matrix (Maker, 2001(Maker, , 2005; also see chapter 8 in this book), Creative Problem Solving (Treffinger, Scott, Isaksen & Stead-Dorval, 2005), and Future Problem Solving (Frasier, Winstead, & Lee, 1997) address the enhancement of students' skills through solving problems that are by nature complex and interdisciplinary. Other curriculum models like TASC ; also see chapter 7 in this book), DISCOVER Problem Matrix (Maker, 2001(Maker, , 2005; also see chapter 8 in this book), Creative Problem Solving (Treffinger, Scott, Isaksen & Stead-Dorval, 2005), and Future Problem Solving (Frasier, Winstead, & Lee, 1997) address the enhancement of students' skills through solving problems that are by nature complex and interdisciplinary.…”