The Research On Thinking Features Of Complex Chemic Problem Solving In High Schools

How to improve students'ability to solve problems is really one of the educators' concerns both nationally and internationally. And instructing students how to think and solve problems is also one of the teachers'goals during the new curriculum reform.CPS (Complex Problem Solving) is an outgrowth of the research on problem-solving. However, it is obvious that we are still lacking in further research on CPS in the field of teaching and learning of chemistry in high schools.Problem solving is closely related to thinking. Based on the comparative research on the characteristics of thinking of top students and medium students, this paper, which focuses on CPS in chemistry learning in high schools, is intended to show different ways of thinking.The contents of this paper are as follows:(1) A survey based upon a questionnaire, which indicates the state of thinking while top students and medium students are solving complex problems;(2) A comparative research on the process of thinking through tests and Thinking Aloud, which reveals the different characteristics and improvement of thinking while top students and medium students are solving complex problems.Conclusions drawn from the research are as follows:(1) Top students and medium students differ in the thinking while solving complex problems, especially the flexibility of thinking, the logical reasoning ability, the inducing ability, the thinking strategies, etc.(2) In terms of the development of the thinking ability, medium students make faster progress than top students.This research shows that if teachers pay more attention to the development of students＇ability of thinking and help students master some thinking skills and strategies, students＇ability of solving complex problems will surely be improved and, most importantly, the adaption and efficiency of teaching and learning will thereby be enhanced.