A Comparative Analysis of Selected Personality Characteristics and Time Allocation Trends of Teachers/Coaches in the Michigan Future Problem Solving Program.

Abstract

The Future Problem Solving Program is a year-long curriculum project as well as a program of state and international team competition. Creative and futuristic thinking skills are introduced to students via a creative problem solving model. Students in three grade level divisions work in teams of four to solve problems based upon projections into the future. Teams are guided by a teacher/coach in skills acquisition and application. Students are confronted with three practice problems during the academic year. This study was designed to investigate specific personality characteristics and time allocations of the Michigan Future Problem Solving Program teacher/coach as they are related to the quality of his/her team's performance (success) as measured by the score obtained on the third practice problem for the academic year 1982-83. Six personality scales were selected from the Jackson Personality Inventory for use in this study. Time allocation was measured by an author-designed self-report questionnaire. Of the 97 individuals who were eligible for participation in this study 77 returned completed response forms. Bivariate linear regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were the primary statistical procedures employed in this study. The presage variable of personality was not found to be a good predictor of team success. Michigan Future Problem Solving Program teachers/coaches tended to possess desirable characteristics in five of the six personality constructs examined. Student achievement, however, was not necessarily associated with the personality characteristics possessed by the teacher/coach. Time allocated for working with students was moderately related to student achievement, although this relationship was not statistically significant. There was some evidence that teachers/coaches with multiple teams may be more efficient with the use of their time than single team instructors. Support for Carroll's learning paradigm was discovered which suggests that students with moderate or low ability can benefit more from allocated time than students with high ability.