APPLIED GEOLOGY PROBLEM SOLVING STANDARDS
Adapted from the AAC&U VALUE Rubrics and acknowledged with thanks. See Assuring Graduate Capabilities
Definition: Problem solving is the process of designing, evaluating and implementing a strategy to answer an open-ended question or achieve a desired goal.
Novice to Expert categories
Expert
Proficient
Competent
Novice
Beginner
Graduates as experienced
professionals can…
Graduates as new professionals can…
Graduates of this course can…
Students in the middle stages can…
Students in the early stages can…
Define Problem
Determine relevant and topical geological
Demonstrates the ability to construct a clear and
research questions based on existent bodies of insightful geological problem statement with
literature and new discoveries.
evidence of all relevant contextual factors.
Identify Strategies
Consistently and confidently identify
Identify multiple approaches for solving the
Identify multiple approaches for solving the
Identify only a single approach for solving the
appropriate and effective methodologies to geological problem that apply within a specific
geological problem, only some of which apply geological problem that does apply within a
answer relevant geological research questions context and can determine the most effective most of within a specific context.
specific context.
within a wide range of contexts.
the time.
Identify one or more approaches for solving
the geological problem that does/do not
necessarily apply within a specific context.
Propose
Solutions/Hypotheses
Design research strategies to systematically
test and disprove multiple potential solutions
/hypotheses based on a comprehensive
understanding of previous findings;
solution/hypotheses are sensitive to
contextual factors as well as all of the
following: ethical, logical, and cultural
dimensions of the problem.
Propose one or more solutions/hypotheses that
indicates a deep comprehension of the problem;
solution/hypotheses are sensitive to contextual
factors as well as all of the following: ethical, logical,
and cultural dimensions of the problem.
Propose one or more solutions/hypotheses that
indicate comprehension of the problem;
solutions/hypotheses are sensitive to contextual
factors as well as the one of the following:
ethical, logical, or cultural dimensions of the
problem.
Propose one solution/hypothesis that is “off the
shelf” rather than individually designed to
address the specific contextual factors of the
problem.
Propose a solution/hypothesis that is
difficult to evaluate because it is vague or
only indirectly addresses the problem
statement.
Evaluate Potential Solutions
Generate deep and elegant evaluation of own
and other’s solutions (e.g., contains thorough
and insightful explanation) and consistently
includes, deeply and thoroughly, all of the
following: consideration for history of
problem, logic/reasoning review, feasibility
of solution and impacts of solution.
Generate deep and elegant evaluation of solutions
(e.g., contains thorough and insightful explanation)
and routinely includes, deeply and thoroughly, all of
the following: consideration for history of problem,
logic/reasoning review, feasibility of solution and
impacts of solution.
Construct adequate evaluation of solutions
(e.g., contains thorough explanation) and
always includes the following: consideration
for history of problem, logic/reasoning review,
feasibility of solution and impacts of solution.
Provide brief evaluation of solutions (e.g.,
explanation lacks depth) and includes the
following most of the time: consideration for
history of problem, logic/reasoning review,
feasibility of solution and impacts of solution.
Superficially evaluate solutions (e.g.,
contains cursory, surface level explanation)
and include the following some of the time:
consideration for history of problem,
logic/reasoning review, feasibility of
solution and impacts of solution.
Implement Solution
Skilfully and iteratively construct, discover
and synthesise myriad pieces of evidence to
effectively solve complex spatial and/or
temporal problems. Consistently and
confidently implement the solution in a
manner that thoroughly and deeply addresses
multiple contextual factors of the problem.
Skilfully synthesise myriad pieces of evidence to
effectively solve complex spatial and/or temporal
problems. Implement the solution in a manner that
thoroughly and deeply addresses multiple contextual
factors of the problem.
Adeptly synthesise multiple pieces of evidence
to effectively solve complex spatial and/or
temporal problems most of the time.
Implement the solution in a manner that
addresses multiple contextual factors of the
problem in a surface manner.
Synthesise multiple pieces of evidence to
effectively solve basic spatial and/or temporal
problems most of the time. Implement the
solution in a manner that addresses the problem
statement but ignores relevant contextual
factors.
Likely struggle to synthesise multiple
pieces of evidence to effectively solve basic
spatial and/or temporal problems.
Implement the solution in a manner that
does not directly address the problem
statement.
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Exemplars
Demonstrate the ability to construct a
geological problem statement with evidence of
most relevant contextual factors, and problem
statement is adequately detailed.
Begin to demonstrate the ability to construct a
geological problem statement with evidence of
most relevant contextual factors, but problem
statement is typically superficial.
Demonstrate a limited ability to identify a
geological problem statement or related
contextual factors.
Support for this resource has been provided by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council Ltd, an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
The views expressed in this resource do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Last updated November 2011.