Page 156 - Learning to Learn

READING EXPERIENCE 6: M ETHODOLOGIES: UNLOCKING PROCESS KNOWLEDGE
156 L EARNING TO LEARN: BECOMING A SELF-GROWER
The Problem Solving Methodology:
A Simple Example
Scenario: Evelyn has completed her first semester at college
and has available time during the Christmas holidays.
Her husband is between jobs. Since she will be home
for five or six weeks, she wants to get a short-term job
to earn money to help her family pay bills and for when
she returns to school. Her husband can take care of
the children, so they don’t need to pay for childcare.
Step Explanation
1 Define the problem Finding and choosing a job during the Christmas break.
2 Identify key issues It must be a short-term job, must make maximum money, and must be
within commuting distance from home.
3 Collect data and
information
Obtain a list of temporary agencies from the phone book, names of
stores in nearby malls, scan the “jobs” section from a local newspaper,
and peruse Craigslist online.
4 Identify assumptions Retail businesses need short-term, full-time employees in December,
and employers reward initiative.
5 Break the problem
apart
Determine who is hiring for the most money, the most hours per week,
and how many weeks the employment will last.
6 Model sub-problems Amount of money = number of hours/week times hourly wage times the
number of weeks worked.
7 Integrate solutions The temporary agency can get Evelyn work for 5 weeks at 40 hours/
week for $7/hour, a possible total of $1,400. That is, if they are satisfied
with her work evaluations. If they are not satisfied with her work
evaluations, she may get no other job offers from the agency. Evelyn
has found two jobs on her own. The best paying job is for $10/hour for
15 hours/week for 3 weeks, a possible total of $450. The other job is for
6 weeks at 40 hours/week at $5.50/hour, a possible total of $1,320. She
chooses the job offered by the temporary agency.
8 Test and validate Evelyn calls possible employers to verify her information.
9 Generalize the solution Evelyn generalizes that the temporary agency is a good solution
because she can use the agency to seek summer employment also.
10 Communicate the
solution
Evelyn writes a letter to the agency accepting a job offer. She explains
the process used to make her decision to her husband.