How Children's Problem Solving Strategies Develop at Key Stage 1

Thi s re s earch traces y oung children ' s d ev eloping problem s ol v in g s tr a t e gi es thr o u g hout Key St ag e 1 . Th e initi a l wo rk d escr ib e d a t axo nom y o f yo un g c hildr en's c o ll a bor a ti ve s tr a t e g ies. The pr ese nt ph ase of th e s tud y build s upon th ese f indin gs t o c omp are s tr a t egy u se d a t di f f e r e n t ages w ithin the k ey s t age . Thi s lon gi tudin a l s tud y r ev i s it e d g r o up s o f c h i ld re n e n gage d in a r a n g e o f d es i g n a nd t ec hn ology t as k s ove r th ree yea r s. I t lo o k e d c l ose l y a t th e ir s p o ntan e ou s , but purp osef ul , proc e dur a l a n d co ll a b o r a ti ve s kill s . Th e r es ult s di s tin g ui s h e d be t wee n c hildr e n 's e m e r ge nt , de v el o pin g, c han g in g, a nd d ec linin g s tr a te g i e s durin g t h a t t i m e . It was f o und th a t , a lthou g h th e sa m e s t ra t eg i es w er e u s ed , the y w er e u se d di f f e r e ntl y a t di f f e r e nt ages. Qu est i o n s em e r g ed co n ce rnin g th e f ac t o r s af f ec tin g str a t egy u se, a nd h ow te ac h ers a