Future Problem Solving is a program for students, grades 4 - 12, developed by Dr. Paul Torrance of the University of Georgia. The program emphasizes early training in creative problem solving and early exposure to problems expected to occur in the next several decades. It helps students of today become better equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow. Problems in past years have dealt with such topics as robotics, energy, space travel, nuclear war, computers, and ocean communities.

The goals of the program include improved reading and writing skills; research skill; problem solving; knowledge of current events; group process skills; and self-directed learning.

The program is national in scope, but Pennsylvania has its own director and operates autonomously, using the National Problem Solving Format. The Pennsylvania program has the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Association of Gifted Educators (P.A.G.E.)

The mission of the Future Problem Solving Program is to teach students creative problem solving processes through competitive and non-competitive instructional programs so they learn to work with others in designing positive futures.

Future Problem Solving Program Goals

* Increase creative thinking abilities
* Improve analytical thinking skills
* Stimulate an interactive interest in the future
* Extend perceptions of the real world
* Explore complex societal issues
* Refine communication skills - written, verbal and technical
* Promote research
* Integrate problem-solving into the curriculum
* Encourage cooperative, responsible group membership
* Offer authentic assessment
 

Future Problem Solving Program Beliefs

* FPSP is student centered and action oriented
* FPSP prepares students for constructing a positive future
* FPSP can be applied across the academic curriculum and within different curriculums
* FPSP involves teaching and learning of processes
* FPSP provides opportunities for students to apply process tools and methods to real life problems.
* FPSP holds a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation

The Six Steps of the Future Problem Solving Model: (Click on step for details)

1. Identify Challenges in the Future Scene
2. Determine an Underlying Problem
3. Produce Solution Ideas to the Underlying Problem
4. Generate and Select Criteria to Evaluate Solution Ideas
5. Evaluate Solution Ideas to Determine the Better Action Plan
6. Develop an Action Plan