Teaching problem-solving heuristics to engineers and testing for results: hit or miss

The author review his previously published model (1987, 1988) for understanding problem-solving cognitive activity. He then uses it and some student problem-solving protocols to evaluate ways in which instruction can fail to help the student. Ways of determining the student's zone of proximal development, ways of presenting heuristics that will enable student growth, and ways of evaluating problems to assure that they are in the student's zone of proximal development are then presented along with an example.<>