A Problem-Solving Mindset
CueThink® is a web based math problem-solving app that provides structure and support to make all students successful.
A structured approach problem-solving
The CueThink application breaks the problem-solving process into 4 phases: Understand, Plan, Solve, and Review. Students can freely move between the phases, and scaffolds help students in each part of the process.
Tools for capturing student thinking
Digital whiteboard work and voice recording captures ‘in the moment’ student thinking. Interactive tools give students choices to model solution pathways.
Peer to peer discussion
A dedicated space in CueThink allows students to write questions and comments about peers’ work. As students consider different ways of solving, embedded prompts help start the discussion.
Data Analysis Tools
Teachers can switch between whole class or individual student data view to quickly see student progress. Teachers assess students thinking and give personalized feedback with embedded rubrics
CueThink free trial and demo
Use the link below and fill out the form to register for a free trial of CueThink.
Register for a FREE trial of CueThink
Click below to learn more and watch a demo on CueThink.
4 phases of problem-solving
The CueThink application is based upon the research of George Pólya. The 4 phases of problem solving are Understand, Plan, Solve, and Review. Students are encouraged to follow the order of the phases, but there is fluidity to move between the phases.
CueThink student examples
These examples of student work show how CueThink is used to solve and share the same problem in different ways. Students are encouraged to understand the problem by noticing, wondering, and estimating. Students are able to choose the question they are going to answer. In these video examples, the student has chosen to answer the question, “How many gumballs did Charlie start with?”
In example A, the student uses counters to create a visual model of the situation. Each pile of counters is labeled and the student creates a pile for each person named in the problem. While the student makes some mistakes, there is a lot of good reasoning. The teacher would not see that reasoning if they only saw the answer of 68 gumballs. In the annotation screen, you can see that a fellow student pointed out one error (mom did not get any gumballs) and the student responds (you're right, I'll fix that).
In example B, the student uses a number line as a visual representation, something more abstract than the images of counters used in example A. There is no equation given, but the verbal reasoning in the video clearly explains the student’s solution pathway.
Portrait of a Graduate White Paper
This white paper, by Sam Rhodes PhD, discusses how regularly incorporating problem-solving into mathematics offers a gateway for teachers to meaningfully integrate 21st century skills, such as those captured by the Profile of a Graduate movement.
