Teaching and Learning as Problem Solving

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a metaphor is worth 1,000 pictures! For a picture provides only a static image while a metaphor provides a conceptual framework for thinking about something. The metaphors we use-and we use them constantly-shape the way we think (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Ortony, 1979); they determine what we see happening in a particular situation, the way we interpret an event, the solutions that are attempted, and the manner in which we are likely to behave. Although different metaphors have different consequences, a given metaphor is never right or wrong. Of the different metaphors used to characterize classroom teaching and learning, a "problem solving" metaphor is most consistent with current conceptions of meaningful learning (Shuell, 1986). This article explores various implications of using this metaphor to think about teaching, learning, and classroom practices. The underlying premise is that a classroom consists of 25 to 30