Enhancing problem-solving ability is an effective learning approach that enables learners to develop active and independent decision-making ability, which is considered as a key element to become a person of talent in today's rapidly changing society.... Enhancing problem-solving ability is an effective learning approach that enables learners to develop active and independent decision-making ability, which is considered as a key element to become a person of talent in today's rapidly changing society. Numerous studies searching for effective learning methods to cultivate problem-solving ability are constantly being held, and there is a growing voice suggesting that long-term teaching and learning opportunities should be established within the school system to achieve that goal. Also, in the field of arts education, as a way of cultivating students of talents, who will become both consumers and producers of our visual culture, various attempts have been made in order to actively adopt problem-solving teaching methods. According to the 2009's Educational Curriculum Revision Plan (the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 2012), the objective of art education is focused on supporting learners to develop aesthetic sensibility and ability to understand and appreciate the value of art, enabling them to communicate with others through visual images in everyday life. In order to improve these capabilities, problem-solving-oriented learning method, compared to traditional instructor-led learning method, is considered as an effective way as it allows learners to actively participate during the learning process. This study is focused on analyzing the effectiveness of problem-based learning model-applied character design class on cultivating the problem-solving ability of learners. problem-based learning model-applied character design class aims to provide learners an opportunity to visualize their solution for social problems in everyday life into an actual image, eventually encouraging them to develop themselves as a culture leader. In terms of the theoretical background, this character design class was planned on the basis of precedent studies on problem-solving ability, problem-based learning models, the concept of character design education, and also its educational significance. In order to develop a suitable curriculum for the current educational environment, the 2009's Educational Curriculum Revision Plan and character design-related chapters in various art text books was thoroughly analyzed. Based on these analyses, the objective and necessity of the study on problem-based learning model-applied character design class were suggested, and development strategy was also established. The course was planned to include a total of 10 times of classes, based on Jo Yeon-sun's problem-based learning model (2008). 51 students from two second grade classes of S middle school, located in Paju, were pre-tested to examine the homogeneity, and according to the results, 26 subjects were selected as the experiment group, while 25 subjects were selected as controlled group. The questionnaire used for evaluating the development of problem-solving ability was Hong Yong-su's version (2004) of Heppner & Peterson's Personal-Problem Solving Inventory (1982), which was revised to be adaptable to studying Korean teenagers. The subjects were equally asked to fill out this questionnaires before and after the experiment. For the experiment group, total of 10 times of problem-based learning model-adopted character design classes were provided, while text book-oriented general character design classes were held for the controlled group. In order to prove the effectiveness of the experiment on problem-solving ability, the results from the before and after questionnaires from each group were quantitatively compared and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Science program. Applying the evaluation tool based on the 2009's Educational Curriculum Revision Plan, the practical results were qualitatively examined. Also, the learners evaluated themselves, their colleagues, and the degree of class satisfaction through questionnaires, which were analyzed to verify the effectiveness of the experiment from various aspects, and eventually to draw a conclusion. The following is the summary of this study. First, the experiment proved that problem-based learning model-adopted character design class is effective for developing problem-solving ability. Adopting the problem-based learning model not only enhances students' problem-solving ability, but it also has been statistically proven to show a positive effect on sub-elements, such as their self-confidence or self-control. Moreover, there is a possibility of developing their social and emotional aspect through this learning method. Second, analyzing the working process and the practical results of the subjects based on the evaluation standards, it was proved that the experiment group, compared to the controlled group, showed more improvement in both problem-solving ability and ability to express themselves visually. Students of the experiment group were asked to select their themes and analyze the expression styles by discussing with their peers and finding solutions independently. These requirements enable them to understand the whole process of character design, participate actively in classes, and thus yield high-quality results. However, while the experiment group pondered on finding a creative way to precisely express the themes, the controlled group, on the other hand, limited their thoughts to the superficial aspects of character design, creating a prosaic character that lacks any thematic elements. Consequentially, the problem-based learning model's learner-oriented problem-solving process developed ability to express in designing. Third, according the questionnaire results from the experiment group, who had taken problem-based learning model-adopted classes, their self-evaluation and degree of satisfaction with class were considerably high, which can be leaded to a conclusion that they were content with the learning program of this study. Furthermore, the preference toward this program expanded to preference toward art subject itself, encouraging students, even the ones who previously felt difficulty in art, to express themselves visually. In conclusion, this study verified the effectiveness of problem-based learning model-adopted character design class on cultivating problem-solving ability for middle school second graders. I hope the teaching and learning program discussed in this study would contribute to develop students' capacities to understand various culture and pluralistic values. Also, I expect future studies on problem-oriented learning to improve and elaborate the program, so that eventually could cultivate creative and independent culture producers in the future.
|
