CRESST model of problem solving

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The problem-solving assessment model from the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, used as this study's theoretical frame. It "consists of three components: (a) content understanding, (b) problem-solving strategies, and (c) self-regulation". Strategies divide into domain-independent and domain-specific; self-regulation divides into metacognition (self-monitoring, planning) and motivation (effort, self-efficacy). The study measured content understanding with knowledge maps and strategies with retention and transfer questions.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• Separate measures for each component: a knowledge map for content understanding, retention and transfer questions for problem-solving strategies, and a self-regulation questionnaire

Constraints

Target Learners

• Adults: undergraduate or graduate students playing a computer puzzle game (SafeCracker)

Target Learning Objectives

• Assessment of problem solving in game-based and computer-based tasks

Claims

• Metacognitive strategies correlate strongly with problem-solving skills, and behavioural metrics correlate with task performance [+W]

Related Theories

• Self Regulation
• Problem Solving
• CRESST model of learning: five families of cognitive learning as assessment targets

Examples

• Design assessment tools to measure model components, integrate, be authorable, auto-score, and deploy on the Internet
• CRESST Integrated Assessment System: a computer-based suite of performance assessment tasks

Key Sources

• Shen, C.-Y., & O’Neil, H. (2006). The Effectiveness of Worked Examples in a Game-Based Learning Environment. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, CA. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED491961

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	theory
title	CRESST model of problem solving
description	The problem-solving assessment model from the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, used as this study's theoretical frame.
status	review
canonical	True
generated	by claude/unspecified on 2026-09-24
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — shen-2006

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