Introducing the Problem Attribute Typology (PAT) Tool for Designing Instructional Problems

Abstract

Current theoretical discourse regarding problem attributes has not specified how problem attributes interact to affect problem-solving performance. This article suggests that the design of effective instructional problems can be improved by the analysis of problem attributes. Theorists have posed various constructs as problem characteristics. We review and analyze several of these constructs to form a typology of four attributes. These include structuredness, complexity, situatedness, and information richness. We propose that this set of attributes may provide the basis for a useful classification tool, referred to as the Problem Attribute Typology (PAT). This tool will assist instructional designers, educators, and researchers in the design and evaluation of problems and the empirical investigation of how problem attributes interact with individual differences and problem-solving performance. In order to support these activities, this article provides a theoretical framework and related method for applying PAT to classification of problems from a learner-centered perspective. We further suggest several instructional implications for PAT and point to areas for future research.