Future Problem Solving
Elective Unit
Unit Description
Future Problem Solving (FPS) develops critical, creative and futuristic thinking skills. Building on the design thinking skills developed during Enterprise week, in this elective you will apply your mind to some of the significant issues facing the world of today and the future, equipping you with the vision, skills and tools to design and promote positive futures for the society in which you will live.
As you follow the six-step process
- You will learn how to think, not what to think.
- You will extend your skills in leadership, team-work and social responsibility.
Six-step process
- brainstorm challenges and problems related to the topic;
- identify an underlying problem;
- brainstorm solution ideas to the underlying problem;
- develop criteria by which to evaluate the solution ideas;
- apply the criteria the solutions to determine the best solution;
- use the best solution to devise a plan of action to resolve the underlying problem.
As part of this elective, students may enter The Future Problem Solving competition which is one of the few academic competitions in Australia that enables students to compete internationally.
Assessment
There are a number of different “class types” which could be run depending on student interest and preferences. Options include:
- Community Solving - identify a community issues, devise possible solutions – run a trial and collect data – analyse data and give directions for the future
- Global Issues – analyse a particular piece of creative writing called a “Future Scene”, identify problems and come up with solutions
- Scenario Writing – students develop short stories related to one of the future problem-solving topics
- Scenario Performance – students develop Creative Writing and Oral Storytelling.
