Project 'Think Board' builds evidence for a problem solving instructional strategy and highlights the importance of leadership from the middle

Students find problem solving difficult and would benefit from an instructional strategy aimed at building the thinking process required for success. One strategy, think boards, provides a framework for problem solving that encourages students to see, plan, do and check. This article reports on a quasi-experimental study which measured the impact of using think boards, in conjunction with specific heuristic strategies, during the first algebra unit for a group of high school mathematics students (Year 8, aged 12.5 to 13.5 years). The results show a greater effect size for the test group compared to the control group which could be partially attributed to the use of think boards. This correlates with the significantly higher number of test group students than control group students who used think boards to solve word problems. Further, through purposeful interviews, students identified that think boards helped them solve challenging problems. Recommendations for implementing the use of think boards as an instructional strategy in a school are provided. The sections in italics throughout the article indicate a change in mode to allow inclusion of my reflective dialogue about leading learning by developing an evidence-based instructional strategy through enacting research in a high school. The importance of school-based research as a lever for leadership from the middle is briefly considered.