NZQA Assessment Support Material
Unit standard
7123
Title
Apply a problem solving method to a problem
Level
2
Vocational pathways
Credits
Version
2
2
Primary Industries; Social and Community Services
Student guidelines
Introduction
This assessment activity requires you to show that you can:

Define a problem;

Choose a problem solving method for an identified problem;

Apply the problem solving method and describe the outcome.
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Definitions
IDEAL refers to Bransford's IDEAL model for problem solving:
1)
Identify the problem.
2)
Define the problem through thinking about it and sorting out the relevant information.
3)
Explore solutions through looking at alternatives, brainstorming, and checking out different
points of view.
4)
Act on the strategies.
5)
Look back and evaluate the effects of your activity.
de Bono’s 6 hats also known as ‘Six Thinking Hats’ represent thinking processes which help
important decisions to be looked at from a number of different perspectives.
White hat – Facts & Information
Red hat – Feelings & Emotions
Black hat – Critical Judgement
Yellow hat – Positive
Green hat – New Ideas
Blue hat – The Big Picture.
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Conditions of assessment
Assessor note: It is expected that the assessor will read the learner instructions and modify them if
necessary to suit their learners.
This is an open book assessment. You may use any information to help you complete the
assessment. All answers must be in your own words.
How you will be assessed
There are three (3) worksheets in this assessment.

Answer all the questions in each worksheet.

Assessment may be conducted orally - your assessor may read the question to you and write
down your answer on the worksheet but they cannot help you.
Workplace Verification

Your workplace supervisor must sign your worksheet to verify the accuracy of your description
of your problem, the process you used to solve the problem and the outcome.
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Student guidelines
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Task 1
Define a problem
Instructions
1. This task is about defining a problem that needs to be solved that relates to your workplace in
the Primary Industries or Social and Community Services.
2. Talk to your assessor/workplace supervisor to select a problem suitable for assessment.
Examples of problems that might be faced by people in Primary Industries or Social and
Community Services workplaces are provided over the page.
3. Define your problem using Worksheet 1. The definition of the problem must state:

What the problem is

Who the parties to the problem are

What the effects of the problem are

Who has responsibility for the problem

Who “owns” the problem

Who should be responsible for solving the problem

What your sphere of influence is

What authority you have to solve the problem.
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Examples of problems in the workplace
Scenario 1 – Primary industry – Dairy worker on a dairy farm
You are working as a dairy worker on a dairy farm.
The cows are now in a paddock about 2km from the milking shed. There has been a
week of heavy rain and the track from the paddocks to the dairy shed is now flooded in
several places. The clay-based track is no longer safe for the cows to walk on but the
cows still have to get in for milking twice a day.
The Farm Manager is away hunting for the weekend and out of mobile phone range.
You have to work out a solution to this problem yourself.
Scenario 2 – Primary industry – Stock and Station Agent
You are working as a trainee Stock and Station Agent, responsible for advising farmers
about products that might suit their needs and providing these products through your
company’s stores.
You have agreed to supply a farmer (Farmer A) with 20 litres of spray and have
arranged an afternoon meeting on a particular date to fit in with Farmer A’s pre-planned
spraying schedule. On the morning of the day of the appointment, you are dropping off
some equipment at another farm (Farm B) and Farmer B, who is a repeat customer but
who you don’t get much time to interact with. Farmer B unexpectedly asks you to stay
and discuss other possible products he’s considering using.
The two farms are 100 km apart, which will take about two hours driving on country
roads. You now have a problem regarding the two customers. What should you do?
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Scenario 3 – Social and Community Services – Early Childhood teacher
You are working as an Early Childhood teacher in an Early Childhood Centre. The Early
Childhood Centre has been awarded a $500 grant from a local community trust towards
literacy projects.
You have volunteered to gather some ideas and then make a recommendation to your
Centre Management Committee about how the money should be spent. However, you
receive ideas from caregivers and co-workers that are very different from each other,
and you are not sure which is the best one for the Centre.
What do you do?
Scenario 4 – Social and Community Services – Library Assistant
You are working as a library assistant at the local library. You are training up a school
student who has volunteered to help at the library every day after school. However, this
young person is very badly presented, has poor hygiene and is not good at paying
attention to your instructions. The library needs volunteers desperately and they are
pretty scarce right now. What would be the best course of action in this situation with the
new student volunteer?
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Worksheet 1 – Defining the problem
Define the problem (1) – What the problem is
What is the problem?
Who are the parties to the problem?
What are the effects of the problem?
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Define the problem (2) – Responsibilities
Who owns the problem?
Who is responsible for solving the problem?
What is your sphere of influence?
What authority do you have to solve the
problem?
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Task 2 – Choose a problem solving method to solve your problem
Instructions
1. Choose two problem solving methods that might help solve the problem identified in Task 1.
2. Describe both problem solving methods in a series of process steps.
Problem solving methods you could use include:

Brainstorming

IDEAL

pros/cons (strengths/weaknesses)

de Bono’s 6 hats

or any other method that you think is suitable.
A worksheet is included for you to describe the process steps. Space is included on the
worksheet for five steps – you do not have to use all five spaces, or you can add more steps,
depending on how you describe the process.
3. Choose the problem solving method you think is most suitable to help you solve your problem.
Give three reasons why you think this method is suitable for solving your problem.
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Worksheet 2 – Choose a problem solving method
Describe the process steps for two problem solving methods below.

Add in as many steps as you need to describe the problem solving method.
Name of problem solving method 1:
_________________________
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
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Name of problem solving method 2:
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
The problem solving method I think will best help solve my problem is
___________________________________________________________________________
Three reasons I think this will be the best problem solving method are:
1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
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Task 3 – Apply the problem solving method and describe the outcome
Instructions
1. Apply your chosen problem solving method to your problem.
2. What happened?

Describe each of the steps you took as you applied the problem solving method to the
problem.

What was the outcome you were trying to achieve? What outcome did you achieve?

Overall, how successful was the problem solving method in solving the problem?

Are there any further actions you can or could have taken?
3. Ask your assessor or workplace supervisor to verify that you have accurately described the
problem, the problem solving process and the outcome/s you have described.
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Worksheet 3 – Applying the problem solving method
1. What outcome were you trying to achieve? What outcome did you achieve?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe each of the steps you took as you applied the problem solving method to the problem.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Overall, how successful was the problem solving method in solving the problem?
Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Are there any further actions you can or could have taken?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Workplace verification
As a supervisor, I confirm that _________________________________ (name of learner) has
accurately and without undue assistance:
 Defined the problem to be solved, including the parties involved and the effects of the problem
 Defined problem ownership, responsibility for solving the problem, sphere of influence and
authority for dealing with that problem
 Attempted to resolve that problem using the methods and steps described in Worksheet 3.
 Described the outcome of applying the problem solving method, including the degree to which
the problem was been solved and any future actions that might have been taken.
Supporting comments
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Signed:
____________________________
Name:
____________________________
Position:
____________________________
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Student guidelines
Dated:
_________________________
Workplace:
_________________________
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