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Polya's four-step heuristic problem-solving framework

Design · All designs
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The article uses Polya's framework, in which problem-solving is "the process used to solve a problem that does not have an obvious solution" and teaching it means teaching "strategies, or heuristics". The four-step process is: 1) understand the problem, 2) devise a plan, 3) carry out the plan, and 4) look back. The experimental group's lesson plans were built on these heuristic steps together with Shireen (2006) guidelines.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

  • Instruction must be organized as a sequence of heuristic steps applied to problems, per the Polya (1945) guidelines used to build the lesson plans

Constraints

  • In this study the heuristics had to be preceded by exposition of facts, rules, formulas and procedures before students could use them

Target Learners

  • secondary school mathematics students

Learning Goals

  • mathematical problem-solving
  • mathematics achievement

Claims

Examples

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Key Sources

  • Kousar Perveen. (2010). Effect Of The Problem-Solving Approach On Academic Achievement Of Students In Mathematics At The Secondary Level. Contemporary Issues In Education Research, 3(3).
Page metadata
Field Value
type design
id polya-four-step-heuristic-problem-solving
title Polya's four-step heuristic problem-solving framework
description The article uses Polya's framework, in which problem-solving is "the process used to solve a problem that does not have an obvious solution" and teaching it means teaching "strategies, or heuristics".
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-11-01
trust unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources 1 — kousar-perveen-2010

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