Incorporating Problem Solving into Programming Classes

Problem solving involves far more than the ability to plug numbers into a formula and looking to a calculator to resolve an answer. The real world presents problems, described in words, that require creative applications of the more fundamental principles taught in physics, mathematics, and business classes. The unpopularity of “word problems ” and the difficulty in teaching creative thinking have generally led educators to avoid problem solving in favor of equation solving. This paper demonstrates that methods for finding creative solutions to novel problems can be codified and taught within the structure of a programming class