Problem Solving Skill: the role of active teaching methodologies

Problem Solving (PS) is an important 21st century skill which is increasingly recognized as being critical to achieve efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation in the modern global economy ([1], [2], [3]). Over the last decades, the issue concerning soft skills as a goal of educational systems has gained significant relevance. Since 2003, international organizations as OECD (Organization for Economic and Co-operation and Development) have deepened the analysis of Problem Solving – along with literacy, numeracy and science – in order to understand its impact on well-being and learning outcomes for 15-years-old ([4]). In 7 cycles and 25 assessing areas of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Italy has been reported significantly below the OECD average, with the only exception of PS skill in 2012. The better-than-expected Italian performance in Problem Solving may be an indication that students’ ability to solve problems is not nurtured within the core academic subjects ([4]). Starting from what it seems to be a strength of Italian students and a weakness of the Italian school system, the present work aims to contribute to the analysis on the relationship between active teaching methodologies such as Problem-Based Learning, Collaborative Knowledge Building and Blended Learning and the development of students’ PS skill ([5], [6], [7]).