COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVING
Community Problem Solving (CmPS) bridges the gap between school and the real world. Students involved in CmPS learn powerful lessons about creating change, dealing with local authorities and organisations, and making a positive impact.
Community Problem Solving is ideal for developing strategic thinking, leadership skills and encouraging a wider contribution to community service.
CmPS projects are student-driven and produce young leaders ready to solve problems they may encounter throughout their lives. CmPS promotes cultural agility by solving real life, contemporary challenges.
For individual student registrations, Community Problem Solving is ideal for fulfilling the research and service aspects of the IB Diploma, and can assist with the requirement to undertake a specified number of service hours to graduate.
Why Community Problem Solving?
Community Problem Solving helps students develop skills in research, analytical thinking and problem solving, leadership and teamwork.
Students may engage in research, fundraising, community outreach, information development and dissemination, documentation and evaluation, and can learn powerful lessons about creating change, about dealing with local authorities and organisations, and about making a positive impact.
CmPS
- Engages students in the real world using independent thought and action
- Apply the problem solving process to real and current problems in their communities
- Stimulates critical and creative thinking skills
- Fosters collaboration and teamwork
- Encourages students to develop a vision for community improvement
How does CmPS work?
Students work to identify and investigate a real-life concern from their school, community, state or country and explain why it is significant. They then apply our six-step process creative problem-solving process to identify the best solution and then develop and implement a plan of action.
Students document their plans and activities in a Project Proposal and a Project Report. Supporting materials are also developed.
The Project Proposal functions for students as their planning/guiding document. The Proposal serves to
- establish the project vision
- develop the project
- define the project goals
- specify deadline
- demonstrate the use of the problem solving process
It captures a snapshot in time of the original analysis of the Area of Concern and the students' anticipated actions.
The Project Report explains the efforts made, obstacles encountered and accomplishments achieved throughout the implementation of the Action Plan. It should also include any updates of changes made to the Underlying Problem or Action Plan as stated in the Proposal.
A rubric-based authentic evaluation is provided, giving students tools for continuous growth.
How many students can participate and how do they compete?
Do my students need to know the six-step problem solving process
Yes - The six-step problem solving framework underpins the Project Proposal requirements. Knowledge of the required structure for the underlying problem and solution ideas will assist students in achieving higher marks for clarity.
How do I get started?
Schools can register either individual students, or teams of students. Teams may be as few as two or three students or an entire class or group.
Registrations are divided between divisions
Junior Division (Years 5 and 6)
Middle Division (Years 7 to 9)
Senior Division (Years 10 to 12).
Begin your CmPS participation by registering. Select if your participation is going to be as team or with an individual.
First time coaches would also find the publication Creative & Critical Thinking Tools for CmPS to be a useful resource.
Training in the six-step problem solving process is highly recommended for coaches in Community Problem Solving. FPS Australia offers Professional Development Workshops at the beginning of each year.
What is included in the Registration Fee?
- The Community Problem Solving Handbook
- Three assessment rounds
- Fortnightly coach catch up – via zoom
- Access to our friendly support team 9am - 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday
For the cost of a single individual or team registration, teachers gain access to the program material and can teach the program to as many students as they wish. (However, booklets can only be evaluated if a team/individual has been registered.)
Additional registrations can be added throughout the year.
Community Problem Solving skills aligned with Education Standards
Community Problem Solving skills aligned with Education Standards
The purpose of Community Problem Solving is to challenge students to apply the problem solving process to real problems in their communities to create positive change. In using the Creative Problem Solving Process, students are able to develop their thinking skills and enhance their creativity, and fulfil many educational standards as well.
