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Global Issues Problem Solving

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Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) teaches students how to think creatively about the future as students research and analyze the annual topics. Global Issues Problem Solving can be used as a curriculum, integrated into content areas, or offered as an extra-curricular option. Students research a series of global topics and apply Future Problem Solving Program’s six step problem solving process to resolve the Future Scene, a hypothetical scenario, set 20-30 years in the future. Culminating in a detailed Action Plan, entries are authentically assessed and scored by trained evaluators.

Why Global Issues Problem Solving?

FPS’s Global Issues Problem Solving component provides the tools and strategies students need to face the challenges of today and the future. Students complete in-depth research about topics of global importance, then learn to systematically address topic related complex situations. Through GIPS, students gain the skills to not only create solutions to difficult problems, but how to evaluate those solutions and then turn them into a workable plan of action. Students involved in GIPS practice powerful problem solving skills that engage their critical and creative thinking. Students will improve their communication skills through collaboration with teammates, and learn to write clearly and concisely with a specific focus. The 4Cs – collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative thinking are infused into GIPS.

What are the Annual Topics?

Topics for the Future Scenes include global issues in the areas of business & economics, science & technology, and social & political. Each year five topics are addressed: two Practice Problems, a Qualifying Problem, an Affiliate Bowl/Final problem, and the problem at the International Conference. Current topics and full descriptions can be found here .

Does FPS have to be done in the classroom?

While many coaches utilize classroom time for FPS, others use it in an after-school enrichment setting, or coach wholly online. Some groups participate as non-school affiliated clubs in their community. Parents, teachers, administrators, retirees – if you are interested in helping students achieve their goals, and become better prepared for the future, consider becoming a coach.

FPS Students from more than 37 states and 14 countries .

Over 250,000 students globally have participated in the last decade!

Promotes both Written and Verbal communication skills

Programs  >  Scenario Writing

Scenario Writing is an individual competition in which students develop short stories related to one of FPSP’s four annual topics. The story (1500 words or less) is set 20 - 30 years in the future and is an imagined but logical outcome of actions or events taking place in the world.

Scenario Writing can be used as a stand-alone activity by an FPS coach, an English teacher, a parent, or any instructor with students interested in creative writing. Students who are enthusiastic about stories of the future may also be interested in the Scenario Performance component, which is an oral storytelling experience.

To prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century, Future Problem Solving teaches students to think critically, creatively, and futuristically. The Scenario Writing component strives to help students enlarge, enrich, and make their images of the future more precise while honing their creative writing skills. This competition provides students with greater awareness and imaginings about possible futures by personalising the ever-growing perspective a student has on their own.

Participation in Scenario Writing provides opportunities for students to meet and exceed educational standards as they refine their writing skills.

A rubric-based authentic evaluation is provided, giving students tools for continuous growth.

For students who participate in the Global Issues Problem Solving and/or Scenario Performance programs of FPS, Scenario Writing can serve as an excellent complement to their work on any of the annual topics.

Schools can register individual students in one of the following divisions – Junior (Years 5 and 6), Middle (Years 7 to 9) and Senior (Years 10 to 12).  

One registration entitles an individual to two evaluations. Two Evaluations will allow the student to submit a trial written scenario, due in May, which is evaluated but non-competitive.  The second competitive submission, due in August, may be a revision of the first scenario or an entirely new scenario.

Evaluations are a rubric-based process, providing students with direct feedback and tools for continuous growth.

Prior to submission, coaches may provide direct instruction on the scenario writing, and make general suggestions for improvement, including with spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. However, each scenario must be original and written by the student.

The second, or competitive, submission is what decides the placegetters in the FPS Australian scenario writing competition. The finalists (stories that progress to the 2nd round of evaluation) of each division of the FPS Australian scenario writing competition are invited to participate in the National Finals.

• The Scenario Writing Handbook
• Two assessment rounds
• Fortnightly coach catch up – via zoom
• Access to our friendly support team 9am - 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday

For the cost of a single individual or team registration, teachers gain access to the program material and can teach the program to as many students as they wish. (However, booklets can only be evaluated if a team/individual has been registered.)

Additional registrations can be added throughout the year.

• Attend coach training
• Register your school's participation
• Purchase recommended publications
• Plan your FPS year

The best way to become acquainted with Scenario Writing is to read published Scenarios. 2021 FPSPI Scenario Writing Champions is available for purchase from the Publications page on this website.

Although knowing the process can help students to think about the future and organise a storyline, it is not a prerequisite for Scenario Writing.  Since Scenarios must relate to one of the annual topics, we recommend that students complete background reading and research on their chosen topic.

Scenario Writing skills aligned with Education Standards

The Scenario Writing component of FPSPI strives to help students enlarge, enrich, and make more accurate their images of the future, while honing their creative writing skills. Participation in Scenario Writing provides opportunities for students to meet and exceed educational standards as they refine their writing skills. 

Future Problem Solving Australia acknowledges the traditional owners of this land. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Future Problem Solving

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• First Online: 03 August 2022
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• Connie Phelps 2  

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Future Problem Solving (FPS) engages students in futuristic thinking through annual academic competitions at local, state, regional, and international levels. Hosted through Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), its mission develops the ability of young people globally to design and achieve positive futures through problem solving using critical and creative thinking. Founded by E. Paul Torrance in 1974, the education program uses a six-step Problem Solving Model based on the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Model. E. Paul Torrance promoted positive futures through the construct of creative problem solving. Organized geographically as local FPSPI affiliates, participants select one of four competition components that include Global Issues Problem Solving, Community Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, and Scenario Performance. Students prepare annual topics throughout the school year with qualifying competitions leading to the next level. At the end of the school year, a four-day International Conference (IC) hosts champions during a culminating competition organized as Junior (grades 4–6), Middle (grades 7–9), and Senior (grades 10–12) divisions. Participants address a Future Scene as a hypothetical situation set 20–30 years in the future such as Antibiotic Resistance (2022) and Neurotechnology (2021), and participants receive constructive feedback from trained evaluators. The Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) component challenges participants to design positive futures, apply the six-step Problem Solving Model, and create a detailed Action Plan. Possible futures emerge as participants (1) Identify Challenges, (2) Select an Underlying Problem, (3) Produce Solution Ideas, (4) Generate and Select Criteria, (5) Apply Criteria, and (6) Develop an Action Plan.

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Phelps, C. (2022). Future Problem Solving. In: The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98390-5_262-1

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Future problem solving program.

Marion Rogalla University of Connecticut Storrs, CT

Imagine yourself observing an enrichment classroom. In the middle of the room, a team of four, 5th graders is arguing about the effects Virtua Tech, a virtual corporation in the year 2056, has on the mind and body of its employees. In the back corner of the room you notice a fourth grader in deep thought. It almost looks as if his head is steaming. As you get closer, he jumps up and says: “Yes! I’ll use the roaches as an endless energy supply.” While you are listening to his ideas six, 11th graders enter the classroom and present with pride business cards created for their cyberphobia group of adults. Amazed by the students’ creativity, problem solving skills, and excitement for learning, you decide to investigate the problem solving model they are using.

The Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP), started in 1974 by E. Paul Torrance, today reaches approximately 250,000 students in 43 Affiliate Programs (coordinated by the international office in Lexington, Kentucky) throughout the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Canada. Full time staff members prepare all materials and topics: practice problems, qualifying problem, affiliate bowl, and International Conference. Teams and individuals successful in the qualifying problem advance to the affiliate bowl and bowl winners in each division (i.e., junior, grades 4 to 6; middle, grades 7 to 9; and senior, grades 10 to 12) are invited to participate at the International Conference. Trained evaluators review and compare student work of the same age division on all topics (Future Problem Solving Program Coach’s Handbook, 2001).

To best meet student interests, the selection of FPSP topics is guided by the results of a poll of the students participating in grades 4 to 12 (Torrance & Safter, 1999). Student votes overwhelmingly center around the newest cutting-edge frontiers of humankind. The topic areas of these frontiers seem to change with age. Younger students’ (grades 4 to 6, junior division) preferences center around innovative instrumentation and processes such as solar energy, computer education, pedestrian conveyor-belt travel, intelligent machines, and mass use of electric cars. These topics may be categorized as human control over the physical environment. Students in grades 10 to 12 (senior division) show more interest in psychological frontiers, such as genetics, human engineering, hypnosis, and mind-altering drugs, than younger students. Middle division students (grades 7 to 9) seem to be in transition between interests of junior and senior division students. Their interests are similar to the younger age group. They do not seem to share the introspection of the seniors (Torrance & Safter, 1999).

The wide variety of extra-curricular topics chosen every year provides students with opportunities to find their area of passion. Torrance (1981, as cited in Torrance & Sisk, 1999), found in his longitudinal studies of creative achievement, that adult creative achievement was influenced by students’ experiences of falling in love with something during their elementary school year. Most adults however, including teachers and parents, do not have much information about these frontier topics to teach the background knowledge necessary for solving problems related to these topics. The FPSP coach’s role includes facilitation of learning and the modeling of processes whereby new knowledge is acquired. Students have to be prepared for self-directed learning (Torrance & Safter, 1999). FPSP goals, therefore, center around the acquisition of problem solving skills.

Although the FPSP provides students with opportunities to enhance their awareness of everyday issues and increase their knowledge base, the main goal of the FPSP is to teach students how to think. The development of higher order thinking skills will help students use their knowledge to solve problems. The program focuses on the creative problem solving process and futuristic issues to develop the skills necessary to adapt to a changing world and shape the future (Future Problem Solving Program Coach’s Handbook, 2001). Specifically, the creative problem solving process:

• helps students to improve their analytical thinking skills
• aids students in increasing their creative thinking abilities
• stimulates students’ knowledge and interest in the future
• extends students’ written and verbal communication skills
• encourages students to develop and improve research skills
• provides students with a problem-solving model to integrate into their lives
• guides students to become more self-directed and responsible
• promotes responsible group membership (for team Future Problem Solving and Community Problem Solving)

The Future Problem Solving Program:

• provides students with unique opportunities to enhance their awareness of everyday issues
• models effective processes that can be used throughout their lives
• incorporates the basic skills taught in the classroom by extending students’ perceptions of the real world
• promotes responsible group membership
• encourages real-life problem solving experiences
• promotes continuous improvement through the evaluation process
• offers authentic assessment in the product produced (p. 11)

The FPSP also extends students’ perceptions of the real world and helps them apply the skills learned to real life issues. The experience of implementing a proposed solution is provided through the Community Problem Solving (CmPS) component. Students learn to continuously improve their problem solving skills from the feedback provided in the evaluation process.

Students are expected to apply a 6-step creative problem solving model when solving a problem in each of the three FPSP components: Team Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, and Community Problem Solving. The mastery of these 6 steps is therefore at the heart of the FPSP.

Guided instruction of the 6 steps seems to be easiest within the team problem solving component. The international office of the FPSP releases the curricular topic for all problems before the related Future Scene is given to the participating students. This allows students to conduct in-depth research to acquire a strong knowledge base on the general topic related to the Future Scene. Once the future problem solvers receive the Future Scene, they work through it using a 6-step model, based on the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process (see Figure 1). Students complete a booklet that guides them in a linear, sequential way through the creative problem solving process.

Understanding the Problem (1) Identify Challenges, (2) Select an Underlying Problem, Generating Ideas (3) Produce Solution Ideas, Planning for Action (4) Generate and Select Criteria, (5) Applying Criteria, and (6) Develop an Action Plan.

Source: Future Problem Solving Program. (2001). Future Problem Solving Program coach’s handbook. Lexington, KY: Author, p. 15.

Figure 1. The 6-step model.

During step 1, students are asked to carefully analyze a specific situation given—the Future Scene—related to the general topic. They learn how to use macro and micro analyses to gain a good understanding of the complex and ill-defined situation. Thereafter, they identify the 16 most promising challenges, issues, concerns, or problems imbedded in the situation that needs consideration. The Future Scene describes a fuzzy situation projected 20 to 30 years into the future, a time when the students might obtain leadership roles. Students are required to use the knowledge gained and project it far into the future. In step 2, the students go through the list of challenges, consider possible underlying problems, and formulate a key underlying problem that is neither too broad nor too narrow. Students are required to follow a standard format in formulating the underlying problem they intend to solve throughout the remaining steps. The standard format helps students to focus on one challenge only and proceed with further analysis of the problem as well as a uniform structure that helps evaluators make comparisons across student booklets. In step 3, students are asked to generate 16 varied and unusual solution ideas that have potential for solving the underlying problem. Students, in step 4, generate the five most appropriate criteria for judging the solutions, which they apply in a evaluation matrix to select the solution with the highest total rank (step 5). Finally, in step 6, students write an action plan based on their highest scoring solution idea. The students have to complete the whole booklet within 2 hours.

The Coach’s Handbook suggests and explains tools for generating options—using divergent thinking—such as Brainstorming, SCAMPER, and Morphological matrix. The acronym SCAMPER stands for: Substitute? Combine? Adapt/Add/Alter? Minify/Magnify/Modify? Put to Other Uses? Eliminate or Elaborate? Reverse/Rearrange/Reduce? The Morphological matrix consists of 4 columns and 10 rows. Team members identify four major aspects (people, place, obstacle, and goal) of the topic and/or future scene (one per column) and list (in the rows) 10 elements of each aspect. Then they explore random combinations and make new and interesting possibilities.

For convergent thinking, the handbook includes tools such as: Hot Spot and Paired Comparison Analysis. A Hot Spot is the common element that clusters of promising ideas share. Paired Comparison Analysis is used in comparing one possibility or idea against another idea, one pair at the time, until all possible pairs have been examined. A number is assigned to each pair as the option is chosen and rated for importance, 1, 2, or 3. The ratings for each possibility can be totaled to provide a rank ordering or prioritizing of the options.

The FPSP includes different components: Future Problem Solving (FPS), Community Problem Solving (CmPS), and Scenario Writing (SW). The primary emphasis of the academic year program (October to June) is on instruction with feedback offered to the teams. FPS asks students to solve complex scientific and social problems of the future.

An example of a future scene focusing on a virtual corporation, an approach to solving a local community problem related to the use of technology, and a response to a scenario involving the increasing need for energy are provided on the insets that follow.

One scene, for example, pertains to a virtual corporation Virtua Tech in the year 2056. The scene is based on facts and projections about virtual corporations and their organizational structure with a focus on the dynamics of a corporation existing in virtual space. The scene opens with Aluui, a programmer, who shares her excitement about her prospective work place with her mother via her Holographic Mailbox and explains that her work partners will be from all over the world. “Virtua Tech is run by an impressive executive team, a group of individuals from leading universities, governmental bodies and traditional corporations around the world,” Aluui explains. During this conversation with her mother, Aluui receives a message from Virtua Tech saying that her software program was accepted and 25,000 Digital Monetary Units have been deposited into her account. However, the scene goes on to raise concerns about the operation of this virtual corporation, including effects on the mind and body of employees that are not fully understood. Therefore, concerned nations, industry groups, and Virtua Tech representatives have created an advisory group. This group is asking the International FPS Alliance to direct its very best problem solving teams across the globe to help them examine important issues involved with the operation of this unique corporation. The FPS teams’ task is to identify possible challenges relating to Virtua Tech, formulate an underlying problem, generate solution ideas, and develop an appropriate action plan.

The goal of the project was to educate adults in the computer field and also to eliminate cyberphobia. The team did so by offering complimentary computer classes to the adults in their community because it felt that the amount of computer knowledge obtained by adults was not sufficient for the technological demands of today’s society. The team was very successful in their efforts and was asked to teach office computer skills to the clerks at the Hockley County Clerk’s office. The project brought multiple benefits to the small rural community of Whitharral, TX. Besides decreasing “cyberphobia” among the adult population, it helped to bridge the gap between generations. The CmPSers learned how to research, plan, and adjust a curriculum to fit the needs of their students—from farmers and secretaries to local business owners and senior citizens. The adults created business, cards, mailing labels, and greeting cards. They learned how to use various software applications, save hundreds of hours in documenting expenses, and safely navigate the Internet. With the aid of grant money awarded by Learn and Serve America, the CmPSers plan to expand the class offerings as well as recruit and train new teachers.

Josh sat at his desk thinking and pondering in the darkness. The only thing moving during the blackouts were the roaches. Josh knew he had to find an alternative energy fast. Why were humans so dependent on electricity? Almost everything ran on solar power or rechargeable batteries now (year 2051). Unfortunately, the ozone layer is being depleted more and more each year, which affects solar power. Rechargeable batteries became every hospital’s savior and every asthmatic person’s life improved.

Reaching for his keys, Josh went to the hovercraft. On the ride home, he swerved to miss the tow craft explosion right in front of him. Swooping to street level, he knew he had seen his share of crashes. There are no rules of the road in the air. He thought of how many times he had been here before. Falling fast and low, he wished his craft could run off the glides alone.

“Why not?” thought Josh. “Why can’t we somehow harness the power of movement? Kinetic watches have been around for over five decades. Surely there could be enough power in everyday movements to power a battery. Is it possible to reconfigure kinetic power into a battery as a source of energy? How about using a pendulum-like movement to harness the power into a battery? That way it will let us have less power plants.”

Josh went into the assembly room and found an old rechargeable unit. “I wonder if it will work?” he thought. For the next week, Josh continued to look at his belt attachment. At first, it was every few minutes, later every few hours. He was determined this would work. By the ninth day the rechargeable unit registered enough power. Over the course of the next few weeks, Josh recharged a dozen batteries. His ideas formulated like fireworks, thinking of what he could attach this device to, and how much more power he could generate.

Then the idea struck him like a rocket. YES! I’ll use the roaches. Josh constructed a large circular platform with a rotating basis. It was kind of like a hamster wheel turned on its side. Finding the roaches was not a problem. It was catching them that was difficult.

Josh placed the platform in a large, clear, round tube and added the roaches. Immediately, the roaches crawled and moved to the platform. This turned the platform, creating a way to transform movement, kinetic energy, into a stored source. The roaches ate little, and the old ones were eaten by the others. It took Josh a few more months to perfect his assignment. In the next few years, he was awarded a Nobel Prize for his efforts in creating a new and virtually endless energy supply that renews itself.

Training in problem solving skills facilitates situational creativity (i.e., students can be creative within prescribed activities related to a specific topic), whereas CmPS fosters real product creativity. Students in the CmPS identify a problem they would like to solve in their school, community, or state. Then, they use the 6-step Future Problem Solving process to solve the problem, (i.e., to develop an action plan and implement the plan).

The scenario writing component encourages students to use their imagination in creating a futuristic short story based on an FPSP topic. The scenarios must be placed at least 20 years into the future and are limited to a length of 1,500 words.

Selected teams and individuals participate at regional, state, and international competitions. During the 2-hour competition of the FPS component, teams of four students or individuals analyze a Future Scene and complete a problem booklet that guides the students through the 6 steps as described above. The Future Scene relates to the topic the students were encouraged to research prior to the competition. No research materials or notes may be used during the actual competition session. Students have to be very time conscious and pace themselves at each step to complete all steps within the very limited time frame. Following this session, students are asked to persuade others of the merit of their idea. Having a good idea is not enough, one must be able to “sell” it. During a 5-minute skit presentation, students can demonstrate their creative, persuasive, and oral communication skills (Steinbach, 1991).

Scenario writers may also compete against one another. They select a topic for their story from the pool of five FPS topics for the respective academic year, research the topic, and write a short story of a maximum of 1,500 words (Shewach, 1991). Students individually write drafts of a futuristic scenario. Editing and revising occurs under the guidance of a coach, who decides whether to submit the scenario to the contest or not. Winning scenarios are awarded at the FPSP competitions and published thereafter.

Any number of students from one to a whole classroom can become a team of community problem solvers. Students identify real problem situations in their school, neighborhood, or community and use the 6-step model to develop and implement the solution idea over an extended period of time (i.e., 6 months to 3 years). The students’ report describes the full process including the area of concern, action plan, the efforts to solve the problem, and reflections. The evaluators examine the report and display at the competition and interview the students to secure their ownership of the product.

The FPSP provides educators with enrichment activities that can take place in a pullout program, after school program, resource center, or with students in a regular classroom. The high level challenge of the activities is especially appropriate for intellectually and creatively gifted students. Future Problem Solving takes students into new worlds. They gain new knowledge about cutting-edge research and use it in combination with higher order thinking to create original solutions for futuristic problems. Most gifted students love this kind of intellectual challenge. Seeing Community Problem Solvers grapple with real life problems and grow in their awareness of their capability to have a positive impact on the world around them is also gratifying to educators. The most obvious effect of Scenario Writing is improved writing skills. However, all FPSP components help students develop their written and oral communication skills. Improved communication skills and a thorough understanding of the 6-step problem solving model can greatly benefit the students far beyond the program (e.g., in other curricular activities and in their future careers).

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Why Compete in Future Problem Solving (FPS)

By Eric Eng

The Future Problem Solving program is a renowned program that allows students from all around the globe to come together, solve critical problems, and develop meaningful solutions in preparation for scenarios that they may face as adults. Also known as “FPS” for short, the Future Problem Solving Program has become a widely known competition where students have the opportunity to put their skills in various different divisions to the test and compete globally to find the best solutions to the problems at hand.

Future Problem Solvers is known as one of the more acclaimed extracurriculars when it comes to college admissions and proves to be a great way for students to improve their leadership, time management, commitment, and most importantly their decision-making skills.

What is the Future Problem Solving (FPS) Program?

The FPS program was founded in 1974 by Dr. E Paul Torrance, who is also known as ‘The Father of Creativity’ for his life’s devotion to researching and teaching creativity. Torrance originally Founded The Future Problem Solving Program to teach students a Six-Step model in which they would use in both an individual and team setting to respond to a hypothetical scenario to a rising Global Issue.

The Six-Step Method is critical to the Future problem-solving process and encourages students to develop skills that they can use to adapt to an ever0changing world.

The Six-Step Method is as follows:

• Identify challenges/ problems that exist in a given situation.
• Select an Underlying Problem (UP).
• Produce ideas to solve the UP.
• Develop criteria to evaluate potential solutions in Step 3.
• Apply criteria for potential solutions in Step 3.
• Develop an action plan based on the highest-ranking solution.

While the six-step method shown above is a rather simplified version of the original method created by Torrance, this model is essentially the backbone of Future Problem Solving.

Since the Future Problem Solving Program was founded, it has since evolved to incorporate more models and ways of thinking to test students’ problem-solving skills in other ways too. The programs that The Future Problem Solving International has to offer as of today are:

Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) – The original program, based on the Six-Step model tackles future global scenarios.

Community Problem Solving (CMPS) – Students examine problems from their community over the course of a year using the Six-Step process.

Scenario Performance (SCP) – Students develop an oral presentation up to 5 minutes on their future projections of one of the annual topics

Scenario Writing (SW) – Students write an original price of fictional writing up to 1500 words on their future projections of one of the annual topics.

Action-Based Problem Solving (ABPS) – Designed for a classroom setting, AbPS allows students to work together in a non-competitive, hands-on, creative manner.

Who can participate in Future Problem Solving?

FPS was designed for students of all ages and encourages them to get involved in a creative way and further sharpen their problem-solving skills. There are multiple divisions for students to participate in Future Problem Solving, ranging from grades 4-12 in competitive decisions and as young as Kindergarten for the rest. Students have the option to join either individually or as a team in each division with the first being Junior (grades 4-6), Middle (grades 7-9), and Senior (grades 10-12).

The divisions allowed for each program are as follows:

• Global Issues Problem Solving – Individual, (teams up to 4), Junior – Middle – Senior
• Community Problem Solving – Individual, (of any size), Junior – Middle – Senior
• Scenario Performance – Individual, Junior – Middle – Senior
• Scenario Writing – Individual, Junior – Middle – Senior
• Action-Based Problem Solving – Team (of any size) Primary (K-4) – Junior – Middle – Senior

The Structure

The original Global Issues Problem Solving program is the most well-known of the bunch and students who choose to participate in it, either individually or as a team, start by being given a competition topic – which varies from year to year (for example “Social Isolation” 2013-2014 or “Sports Medicine”2002-2003).

Students are then given suggested readings and 1-2 months to research and prepare with future problems/ solutions on that topic in mind. Once the competition begins, students gather in their respected program and division that they chose (either state, regional, or national) and are given a 1-2 page future scenario.

They then have 2 hours to utilize the Six-Step process and come up with the best solution that they can, which is then graded on citations and level of creativity. The competition then proceeds to the “Presentation of Action Plan” in which they prepare and perform their action plan in a skit.

In the Community Problem Solving scenario, students are graded on how well they apply the six-step process to current problems that their community is facing. The Scenario Writing problem solving involves students writing a short story, set 20 years in the future, based on one of the GIPS Topics, and the Scenario Performance problem is similar except students tell their story via an oral presentation. The Action-Based- Problem Solving scenario incorporates the six-step method into a classroom setting.

How to get involved?

In order to get involved in a Future Problem Solving program, you must find an affiliate in your local area. These affiliate programs are overseen by the Future Problem Solving International and hold the region or state competitions, prior to the national competition. Over 37 states and 14 different countries have participated in Future Problem Solving and if you don’t live near a current affiliate, you can also opt to participate in the individual competitions or even organize an affiliate for your local region.

Skills and Advantages Students Gain from Future Problem Solvers

Future Problem Solvers’ main objective, as put in their own words, is “to develop the ability of young people globally to design and achieve positive futures through problem-solving using critical and creative thinking.” While participating with other students to tackle some of the most pressing issues, FPS gives students the chance to build crucial skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Here are a few of the skills that students can expect to learn from the FPS program:

• Critical Thinking – A huge part of FPS is the researching and analysis phase, where students spend 2 months learning the topic of the year and brainstorming potential solutions. Students learn to look at problems from a variety of perspectives, which is crucial to developing good critical thinking.
• Problem Solving – The last step of the six-step method is to create an “action plan” in which students create a tangible solution to the situation that they are presented with. Deciding which action to take and committing to it is a great way to improve problem-solving skills.
• Community Service – One of the programs that FPS offers is Community Problem Solving, in which students get together with their local community, address future problems, and make actionable solutions. This can be a great way for students to help out and service their community, which has proven to be beneficial when applying to colleges.
• Advice – Future Problem Solving also offers students mentors on both the individual level and the team level, which can be super helpful to students making decisions on choosing a relevant major and college.
• Collaboration – While working on a team in the FPS program, it is crucial that students learn to collaborate, especially in the GIPS competition, where students are pressed to provide an actionable solution and present it in just a few hours. Students who participate in FPS leave with a better understanding of how to collaborate effectively and productively with their peers.

How can FPS help you get into the college of your dreams?

Now that we have a pretty good understanding of what Future Problem Solving is, how it works, and who can participate, the question is how can FPS help you get into the college of your dreams. Here at AdmissionSight, there’s a good chance that we wouldn’t be writing about FPS if it weren’t in fact, helpful toward getting you into a good college. We understand what it takes to get into an Ivy League School and while the Future Problem Solving Program in no way guarantees admission into any college, it can sure give you a leg up against other applicants. Here are a few ways that FPS can help you get into the best colleges.

• Help you learn your strengths and weaknesses – A lot of students who get involved in Future Problem Solving end up participating in multiple different divisions, each with their own unique set of skills required. While some programs require a lot of research, some require a lot of writing and some require you to give a formal presentation, being exposed to a bunch of different kinds of skills allows students to discover what they’re good at doing and also where there’s an opportunity for improvement.
• Develop and Demonstrate Leadership Skills – It’s been proven that leadership is an area that college admissions officers look for in candidates. Oftentimes, college applications even have a dedicated section for applicants to list any past leadership experience. FPS gives students a wonderful opportunity to become a leader in their community, state or even sometimes on a global stage and solve important, altruistic future problems while they’re at it.
• Commitment – Another key attribute that FPS can demonstrate to college admissions officers is a student’s ability to commit to a program. A lot of students participate in the Future Problem Solving program for many years and while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, they are also demonstrating their capability to be committed to a meaningful program that aims to better their own personal development.
• Engagement with the Public Good – While getting a good GPA and staying focused on your academics while in school is very important to be considered by top colleges, in the past few years, college admissions officers have made a shift to start giving priority to students concerned with the public good. In a report in 2016 made by Harvard University , the number one area that they recommend students to get involved in involves meaningful contributions to others, community service, and engagement with the public good. Future Problem Solvers covers all these bases and allows students to solve critical future problems with benefits aimed at serving the public good.

There are numerous other benefits to participating in Future Problem Solving, but when it comes to applying to colleges, FPS can cover a lot of meaningful bases. With that being said, FPS is also a widely recognized program and many college admissions officers are familiar with the organization and hold it in high regard – and it looks especially good if you end up placing well in the competition as well.

There is also an FPS scholarship in which students who are dedicated to the program and show growth over the years are eligible. There are typically 1-3 students each year who are granted a scholarship, in which they can use to attend whatever college they wish.

What are you waiting for?

Future Problem Solvers is a great way for students of all ages to start thinking about the world and develop critical thinking skills that will serve them for their whole life. With the primary division starting as early as 4th grade, FPS allows students to really hone in on their reading, writing, and presentation skills and practice them in a competitive or non-competitive setting.

If you’re interested in learning more about the program, the best way to get started is to find the nearest FPS affiliate and ask them how to get involved in that year’s FPS program. The International Future Problem Solving conference typically happens shortly after the school year ends in June and your local affiliate can give you more information about this as well. FPS is also a super affordable extra-curricular with the cost of participating being only $100 for individual submission and $125 for an entire team.

If you’re looking to get into the top colleges in the country, you’re going to need to make a strong case to the admissions officers that you’re not only successful academically, but also successful in your commitment to your community. Here at AdmissionSight , our main goal is to set students up with the highest chance for success when it comes to college admissions.

Even if you have a GPA on the lower side , there’s still hope if you show active involvement in extracurricular that let your dedication, commitment, and personal qualities shine through – and that’s exactly what the Future Problem Solvers (FPS) Program is for.

Want to assess your chances of admission? Take our FREE chances calculator today!

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Global Issues

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Who are the winners of the IC 2024 competition?

In our 2024 International Conference, and highest level competition, 1,263 champion problem solvers from 12 countries and 242 different schools/groups competed at Indiana University June 5-9, 2024. Their challenge topic was Air Quality . For more information on the event and participants, see the infographics attached below. Congratulations to all our Future Problem Solving world finals winners.

Action Plan Presentations

Global Issues teams present their action plan to judges and an audience at our International Conference. Students create props from the approved material list . Presentations can be up to four minutes long. The first place winners in each division present their action plan performance on stage at the awards ceremony.

Scenario Performance (aka Storytelling)

Scenario Performance competitors present live at the International Conference. The story they tell uses the International Conference topic as inspiration and is a logical outgrowth of actions or events in the future.

Scenario Writing (aka Creative Writing)

Scenario writing competitors get two hours to write a creative scenario of up to 1,000 words. Their creative story uses the provided future scene about the International Conference topic as inspiration.

Community Projects competitors submit a proposal, report, and promotional video to FPSOnline prior to attending the International Conference. During the world finals, community project participants participate in an interview, create a tabletop display, and submit their portfolio to evaluators. Students present their projects to the Future Problem Solving community at the Community Project Showcase.

Juniors – Individuals

Juniors – Teams

Middles – Individuals

Middles – Teams

Seniors – Individuals

Seniors – Teams

Project Management Excellence Award

Future Problem Solving and Project Management Institute Education Foundation (PMIEF) present the Excellence in Project Management Award to community problem solving projects students who effectively implement project management strategies to enhance their work. The award is based on a new free publication from Future Problem Solving, the Guide to Project Management Implementation in Community Problem Solving . The award includes a grant from PMIEF to help teams continue their projects.

Multi Affiliate Global Issues Competition (MAGIC) competitors enjoy a unique experience at our world finals. When competitors arrive at their competition room, they are assigned to a team with students from different regions.

Our Global Issues competitors, after researching and analyzing the topic of air quality prior to event, students get just two hours during the world finals to complete our 6-step problem-solving process for the given future scene.

Article Attachments

• FPS 2024 International Conference Participants

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April Michele

Future Problem Solving Program

Ages: Elementary, Middle School, High School

Types: Submission, Tournament, Fair, Performance, Presentation

Scope: International

[email protected], [email protected]

Participate

Founded in 1974 by creativity pioneer, Dr. E. Paul Torrance, Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) stimulates critical and creative thinking skills, encourages students to develop a vision for the future, and prepares students for leadership roles. FPSPI engages students in creative problem solving within the curriculum and provides competitive opportunities.  Future Problem Solving Program International involves thousands of students annually from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Future Problem Solving Program involves four competitive challenges including: (1) Community Problem Solving, (2) Global Issues Problem Solving, (3) Scenario Writing, and (4) Scenario Performance.   Community Problem Solving challenges students to think systematically about problematic situations, to gather information to understand the situation, and to evaluate multiple solutions in order to best address the situation? Students involved in Community Problem Solving (CmPS) learn powerful lessons about creating change, about dealing with local authorities and organizations, and about making a positive impact. Community Problem Solving students create and submit a Project Report that is reviewed by expert problem solvers from FPSPI. The top Community Problem Solving projects are invited to the FPSP International Conference in June each year.   Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) is a competitive component of FPSPI which can be accomplished as a team (of 4) or individual activity in which participants research a series of global topics and learn a six-step creative problem solving process. Problem solvers apply their topic and creative problem solving knowledge to address a charge presented in an imagined situation, termed Future Scene. Trained evaluators score student work and return it with feedback including suggestions for improvement. The top scoring teams and individuals on the qualifying problem are invited to Affiliate FPS Competitions. The winners of each respective Affiliate FPS Competition advance to the FPSP International Conference in June. Four divisions are offered:Junior (grades 4-6), Middle (grades 7-9), Senior (grades 10-12), and Adult.   Scenario Writing  is a competition in which individuals (grades 4 – 12) develop short stories related to one of five FPS topics for the year. The story (1500 words or less) is set at least 20 years in the future and is an imagined, but logical, outcome of actions or events taking place in the world today. The first place winner in each Affiliate Program is invited to the FPSP International Conference. Each Affiliate Director may submit its top three scenarios to the International Scenario Writing Competition. The top 5 international winners in each division are invited to the International Conference in June. Three divisions are offered: Junior (grades 4-6), Middle (grades 7-9), and Senior (grades 10-12).   Scenario Performance (ScP) was designed by FPSP Australia to develop and sustain the oral tradition of storytelling. Essentially, ScP is for students who enjoy telling stories. This option is ideally suited to students who show thinking abilities in different ways - particularly for those whose cultural heritage and/or learning styles prefer oral communication. Scenario Performances are connected to the annual FPSPI Scenario Writing topics as participants develop futuristic stories to present in a creative and entertaining manner. The stories do not have to be written, rather they are performed! Students are challenged to create a story that is between 4-5 minute duration, set at least 20 years in the future, and arises from any one of the topics set for Scenario Writing in the FPS year. Submission will take the form of a video file of the student delivering an oral telling of their story, undertaken in one take without any edits. The use of any props or aids, beyond the use of their voice, is forbidden. The performer may reference 15 cue cards (4x6 inches).  

FPSPI - International 1st Place

Team Award. $1000.

This award counts toward these ICS Academic Badges. Click on a badge for further info.

This badge demonstrates expertise in conducting a logical analysis of situations around us and creating innovative solutions to complex problems.

FPSPI - International 2nd Place

Fpspi - participation.

Team Award. $0.

Any student who completed participation in an FPSPI competition.

FPSPI - International 3rd Place

Team Award. $500.

Website: http://www.fpspi.org/

Managing Organization: Future Problem Solving Program International, Inc.

Contact: [email protected], [email protected]

Eligibility: Each FPSPI Affiliate Program determines its own processes, fees, and due dates for registration and entries. Your Affiliate Director can provide you with registration and submission materials and may be able to put you in touch with experienced FPSPI Coaches. See the competition website for more details.

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