Developing Problem Solving competences with CLIL methodology through innovative technologies

Communication and problem solving are two crucial skills that the school system should foster to the purpose of education, in order to prepare students to join the contemporary world of work. To this purpose, the Department of Mathematics of the University of Turin has developed a model for problem solving activities with CLIL methodologies. This paper shows and discusses the details of the model: it consists of group working on real-world problem solving, using the new technologies for both the solving process and distance communication. A vehicular language must be used during the whole process, which should be presented in written form with deep argumentation. This methodology is analyzed under a sociocultural perspective and it is validated by theories on language learning and problem solving. The discussion on the model is conducted through the results of a teacher training experience on the preparation and management of activities with the methodologies proposed: teachers acknowledged their usefulness as for the development of competences for students’ future career, and they detected the problems in the realization of similar experiences, mainly tied to the difficulties in changing teaching methodologies.