G101 Cognitive Processes and Problem Solving I
Module Synopsis
G101 is aimed at allowing our students to explore the cognitive processes and skills needed
for knowledge construction in a dynamic learning environment. The module will allow
students to explore issues of knowledge and critical issues related to education, along with
sense making on a personal and social level. Students will also be introduced to various
heuristic frameworks, and apply appropriate strategies for learning, thinking and problem
solving.
Module Learning Outcomes
Following are specific abilities strengthened by the curricular processes of the module:
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Able to learn well in RP‟s learning environment.
Able to recognize that knowledge construction is a progressive and purposeful
pursuit of truth.
Able to gather, assess and respond to information effectively.
Able to make use of heuristic devices and successful practices for problem solving.
Able to recognize and respond to knowledge issues in Higher Education.
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Module Syllabus
Module Coverage
Inquiry
Key cognitive skills
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students use both prior
knowledge and new
information to deal with a
problem. The new
information they would
gather is based on the
questions raised.
Inquiry

Distinguish between
information about a
problem and their own
prior knowledge.

Explain which
information and prior
knowledge are relevant
to solving the problem.

Explain what
assumptions are and
their role in problem
solving.

Explain which questions
are relevant and
important to solving the
problem.

Identify constraints
within a problem
context.

Appreciate that inquiry
enables one to act
effectively in relation to
his/her environment, i.e.
to solve problems.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students gather new
information through
sense experience,
reason, testimony and
intuition. At the same
time, they are aware of
the usefulness and
limitations of each source
of information.
Inquiry

Identify where a piece of
information comes from.

Evaluate the different
ways of finding out
information.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Allocated time per day
(One day-One problem PBL pedagogy)
Discussions Resource Formal Lab
in Study
gathering Experiment
Cluster
and team
work
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2
While trying to gather
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new information through
testimony (namely,
resources), students
apply the criteria for
determining the credibility
of these resources.
Analysis

Apply the different
criteria for determining
the credibility of a
resource.
o
Identify the purpose
behind information
seeking.
o
Identify and examine
specific
characteristics of
resources to assess
their credibility (e.g.
types of websites,
books, brochures,
newspapers etc.)
o
Interpret and filter
search results.
o
Distinguish primary
and secondary
sources and know
their respective
strengths and
limitations. (Nonjargon)
o
Act upon the
process of
corroboration.
o
Explain their criteria
for deciding which
information source
to use.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students employ the
analysis process. At the
same time, they are
aware that
 the analysis process
could include their
prior knowledge
 different stakeholders
focus on different
components
 the analysis process
in general is similar in
a variety of
situations, although
the content is highly
situational
 analysis is also about

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2
Apply the analysis
process as a tool in
problem solving.
o
Identify what they
are analyzing
(subject).
o
Determine and
examine the
relevant
components of the
subject.
o
Identify the
relationships
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putting things
together to have a
meaningful
understanding of the
whole situation
Analysis
between the
components.
o
Integrate (consider
all the components
and relationships
together) to derive a
meaningful
understanding of the
subject.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students learn more
about one of the steps in
the analysis process,
namely, determine and
examine the relevant
components of the
subject.
Analysis
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 Examine complex ideas
by
o
Paraphrasing with
synonyms, related
ideas, and phrases.
o
Giving an analogy to
explain.
o
Giving examples to
illustrate.
o
Defining what the
idea is not.
o
Using the history of
the expression/word.
o
Identifying
necessary and
sufficient conditions.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Depending on the nature
of the problem, students
may respond using the
evaluation process. In
determining whether
certain criteria in the
evaluation table have
been met, they break
down the information
they have and match the
analyzed information
against the criteria.
4

Apply the evaluation
process as a tool in
problem solving.
o
Identify the purpose
of the evaluation.
o
Determine the
considerations or
requirements that
are relevant to the
purpose.
o
Form criteria that
can be measured or
observed from the
requirements.
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o
Inference
Check if the criteria
are met or not met.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students make
inferences or judgments
based on the analyzed
data from the analysis
process/ evaluation
process. In doing so, they
are aware that their
judgments are wellsupported opinions vis-àvis facts, mere opinions
and poorly supported
opinions.
Argument

Differentiate between
facts and opinions.

Explain whether a claim
is verifiable/ nonverifiable.

Explain what makes a
well-supported opinion.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students form a solution,
and present evidence to
convince others of their
solution.
Argument

Explain what constitutes
a justification.

Explain whether a
justification is successful
by
o
Evaluating the truth
or acceptability of
the evidence.
o
Evaluating the
support provided by
the evidence.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students are aware that
in presenting evidence to
justify their claims, they
are making arguments
consisting of premises
and conclusions.

Explain that an
argument is made up of
premise(s) and a
conclusion.

Identify the premises
and conclusion of the
argument (including any
unstated premises).

Identify whether an
argument is a deductive/
inductive argument.

Explain whether a
deductive argument is a
good/ bad argument by
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Argument
o
Evaluating the truth
of the premises.
o
Evaluating the
validity of the
argument.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
In their presentation,
students may address
opposing arguments by
 evaluating the truth of
their premises
 evaluating the link
between premises
and conclusion

Identify the premises
and conclusion of an
argument.

Explain what is wrong
with an argument by

o
Evaluating the truth
of the premises.
o
Evaluating the link
between the
premises and the
conclusion.
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Identify the fallacies of
bandwagon, attacking
the person, appeal to
emotion and slippery
slope.
Knowledge
construction
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Students synthesize the
inquiry, analysis,
inference and argument
phases to come up with a
workable solution to a
problem.

Role of successful
practices in knowledge
construction
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
We do not always need
to come up with new
solutions. We can also
adopt and modify existing
solutions (successful
practices).
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Synthesis the 4 phases
of knowledge
construction (Inquiry,
Analysis, Inference and
Argument (IAIA)) and
come up with a workable
solution to a problem.

Explain how the
adoption of successful
practices enables them
to solve problems.

Give due consideration
to the suitability of
context when adopting
successful practices,
and make modifications
where necessary.
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Role of doubt in
knowledge
construction
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:

From a helicopter view,
students can see that
doubt could play a vital
role in stimulating the
creation of new solutions
to old problems.
o
Identify and
explain good
reasons for
doubting
Some reasons
would be:
-
When there is
insufficient
evidence.
When flawed
arguments are
presented.
When information
contradicts personal
experience (but
does not mean that
one‟s personal
experience is always
right).
When information
can be reasonably
interpreted in
various ways.
When experts
disagree.
-
-
o
Identify and
explain poor
reasons for
doubting
Some reasons
would be:
-
We do not doubt just
because of the lack
of direct evidence.
Doubting for the
sake of doubting
(futile cynicism).
-
Value of knowledge
Extrinsic value versus
intrinsic value
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2
Understand the
importance of doubt.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
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2
Explain what reasonable
bases for doubting are.
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Value learning and
knowledge beyond
utilitarian and
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instrumentalist
perspectives.

Education
o
Identify and explain
the “knowledge-asutility” perspective.
(extrinsic value).
o
Identify and explain
the “knowledge for
its own sake”
perspective
(intrinsic).
o
Understand that the
concept of “value”
can be explained in
terms of the possible
tension between the
individual and
society.
See that learning and
knowledge empowers
them as individuals.
At the end of the lesson,
students will be able to:
Different conceptions of
education

Conceptually relate and
distinguish amongst the
following terms:
education, learning,
conditioning, training,
indoctrination, skill,
knowledge. (*They
should recognize that
these terms can have
different meanings
implied when used by
any individual – issue of
semantics – this lesson
serves to use different
terms of discern
between the various
ideas)

Analyze, compare and
evaluate providerreceiver relationships in
the conceptualization of
„education‟ using
aforementioned ideas.

Explain the quality of
being educated as a
holistic disposition
Educated person
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possessed by someone,
and that individual
indicators do not suffice
on its own. E.g. just
having a PhD is not
being educated.
(*Additionally, they
should realize that it
may not be easy to
pinpoint what that
means, and students
need to reason through
their views)

Total = 15 Problems =
90 hours
Recognize that the
quality of being
educated is often tied to
(i) individual
competencies and (ii)
ability to serve society.
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