Name of Assignment: Chapter 7: Cognitive puzzles
Subject: Psychology
Facilitator/Teacher: Professor Paul Thornton
Description of Work/Assignment: Work in a team to solve different problems and measure our cognitive abilities, such as listing three different uses for a paperclip, solving an algorithm without a calculator, or answering a riddle.
Which 21st Century Skill do you feel this assignment addresses, and why?
The main 21st-century skills that I used for this project is interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills, because I was working in a group to solve multiple puzzles. The range of problems I was solving varied and tested different cognitive functions such as analytical, creative, and practical intelligence.
What are you most proud of from this assignment, and why?
I am proud of cracking the riddle with my team. The instructions were about a farmer who wanted to cross a river with a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans, but had a boat that could only carry himself and a single item: the fox, the goose, or the bag of beans. If left unattended together, the fox would eat the goose, or the goose would eat the beans. The farmer's challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, with everything still intact.
We only managed to piece it together in the last minute of the breakout room, and were all proud of doing so.
How did you develop and/or improve upon your 21st Century Skill with this assignment?
I improved my information skills by thoroughly learning about the subject material. For example, finding different uses for paperclips taught us what it was like to overcome functional fixedness. Exercises like these help me memorize the meanings behind terms and definitions, because they use elaborative rehearsal (which we learned about in the next chapter).
What was most difficult about completing this task?
The most difficult part of completing the task was knowing what types of thinking to use for each problem. Because I knew we were being tested, I overthought a lot, like asking myself whether I should be focusing on algorithmic or heuristic strategies.
How could you improve this work? If you could start over, what would you do differently?
If I could improve my work, I would exercise my problem-solving skills before the assignment. Since it was a class activity, we weren't told about it ahead of time, but if I had known about it, I would have challenged myself to practice mind puzzles.
How does this relate to what you have learned in the past?
I have never personally studied the brain the way we are now, and I am still a little awed that I can comprehend the class material. Before taking psychology, I only ever knew people to talk about brain functions on television or in books, and it always came from a highly educated person to express haw smart they are to the audience. It is interesting to find out how easy the terms are to understand with a simple explanation.
How can you apply this to future learning?
Psychology has proven very useful to me, and I can use it to better understand the mental processes and strengths of other people and children.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Od3a9Tv1jwaVqG5gov-Kk_U_fIvb1byIh2xRkpHF9B4/edit?usp=sharing
Subject: Psychology
Facilitator/Teacher: Professor Paul Thornton
Description of Work/Assignment: Work in a team to solve different problems and measure our cognitive abilities, such as listing three different uses for a paperclip, solving an algorithm without a calculator, or answering a riddle.
Which 21st Century Skill do you feel this assignment addresses, and why?
The main 21st-century skills that I used for this project is interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills, because I was working in a group to solve multiple puzzles. The range of problems I was solving varied and tested different cognitive functions such as analytical, creative, and practical intelligence.
What are you most proud of from this assignment, and why?
I am proud of cracking the riddle with my team. The instructions were about a farmer who wanted to cross a river with a fox, a goose, and a bag of beans, but had a boat that could only carry himself and a single item: the fox, the goose, or the bag of beans. If left unattended together, the fox would eat the goose, or the goose would eat the beans. The farmer's challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, with everything still intact.
We only managed to piece it together in the last minute of the breakout room, and were all proud of doing so.
How did you develop and/or improve upon your 21st Century Skill with this assignment?
I improved my information skills by thoroughly learning about the subject material. For example, finding different uses for paperclips taught us what it was like to overcome functional fixedness. Exercises like these help me memorize the meanings behind terms and definitions, because they use elaborative rehearsal (which we learned about in the next chapter).
What was most difficult about completing this task?
The most difficult part of completing the task was knowing what types of thinking to use for each problem. Because I knew we were being tested, I overthought a lot, like asking myself whether I should be focusing on algorithmic or heuristic strategies.
How could you improve this work? If you could start over, what would you do differently?
If I could improve my work, I would exercise my problem-solving skills before the assignment. Since it was a class activity, we weren't told about it ahead of time, but if I had known about it, I would have challenged myself to practice mind puzzles.
How does this relate to what you have learned in the past?
I have never personally studied the brain the way we are now, and I am still a little awed that I can comprehend the class material. Before taking psychology, I only ever knew people to talk about brain functions on television or in books, and it always came from a highly educated person to express haw smart they are to the audience. It is interesting to find out how easy the terms are to understand with a simple explanation.
How can you apply this to future learning?
Psychology has proven very useful to me, and I can use it to better understand the mental processes and strengths of other people and children.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Od3a9Tv1jwaVqG5gov-Kk_U_fIvb1byIh2xRkpHF9B4/edit?usp=sharing