Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), formerly known as the Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP), "engages students in creative problem solving". Founded by creativity pioneer, Dr. Ellis Paul Torrance, FPSPI stimulates critical and creative thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision for the future. FPSPI features curricular and co-curricular competitive, as well as non-competitive, activities in creative problem solving. the Future Problem Solving Program International involves over 250,000 students annually from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Great Britain and the United States."
Competition in the Future Problem Solving Program is divided into three divisions. These divisions are universal across all FPSPI competitions.
There are three levels of FPSPI competition. Not all levels are used in all competition types.[1]
The International Conference (IC) is held for competitors who have been invited to compete at the International level. (Qualification typically involves placing in the top few positions at the Affiliate level.) The IC is typically held in late May or early June.
A new location of the Conference is chosen every two years. The location for the 2010 and 2011 competitions is University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Michigan State University was the selected location for 2008 and 2009.
Each FPSPI competition is oriented around a topic selected from the school year's topic list. The topic list is developed based on votes from FPSPI students and coaches.
The topics for the 2011-2012 school year are:
The Future Scene (previously known as the "Fuzzy Situation") is used in all FPSPI competitions except the Scenario Writing and Community Problem Solving competitions. It is a short story typically set several years into the future.
The Future Problem Solving (FPS) Process is used in all competitions except the Scenario Writing and Onsite Scenario Writing competitions. The six steps of the process are as follows:
There are several different types of competition within the Future Problem Solving (FPS) program, the most popular of which is the Team Global Issues Problem Solving Competition.
Teams in this competition are composed of no more than 4 members. The extra contestants stay back and become alternates. Each team can compete in one of the competition divisions. Teams compete by analyzing the Future Scene for the competition and applying the FPS Process. The final product is known as a "packet" or "booklet". When completing a competition packet, each team can complete a maximum of 16 problems and 16 solutions. Each team, regardless of the division, has no more than two hours to complete these steps in the Qualifying Problem.
Since the Future Scene for the Qualifying Problem is not revealed until the actual competition, much of the team's accumulated research on that topic is not applicable to the specific Future Scene. The overall intent of this method is to encourage creativity and spontaneous thought among the teams.
Teams are encouraged to complete two Practice Problems before attempting competition at the Qualifying Problem level.
In the Qualifying Problem, the top 1 to 3 teams in each division move on to the Affiliate (State or National) Level competition. Depending on the size of the FPSPI affiliate in that state or nation, the top 1 to 3 teams from the Affiliate Level receive the opportunity to compete at the International Conference. The competitors at the International level represent the top 1% of teams from around the world.
Individual competitions are similar to team competitions, except that only one competitor, instead of four, completes a packet. Individual competitors can complete a maximum of 8 problems and solutions per packet.
Individual competition levels are the same as team competition levels.
"Alternates" are competitors who are randomly assigned into temporary teams at each competition. However, Alternates cannot progress into higher levels of competition themselves; they are typically dependent on a particular team.
For example, if an FPSPI coach had five intermediate competitors, four could form a team while the fifth could be an Alternate. If the team advanced from the Qualifying Problem level to the Affiliate Level, the Alternate would advance also. If the team did not advance from the Affiliate Level to the International Conference, the Alternate would not advance.
In some levels of competition, teams compete in Presentation of Action Plan competitions, whereby they act out a short play based on their Action Plan. Individuals and Alternates from the same school can help teams in their division (or a higher division) perform a skit. Whether or not a Presentation of Action Plan competition is held at the Qualifying Problem or Affiliate levels depends on the FPSPI affiliate. Presentations are always performed at the International Conference.
The Adult competition is completed at the International level(and may be completed at the Affiliate level if the FPSPI affiliate chooses to do so) and is intended for adults who accompany students to the International Conference. Like Alternates, adult competitors are randomly assigned into teams in order to complete a packet.
A Scenario is a short story set at least 20 years in the future. Scenarios must be under 1500 words and must be based on one of the year's competition topics. Unlike many other FPSPI competitions, Scenario Writing competitions are not timed. They are completed at the student's home or school and then mailed in for evaluation.
There are two levels of the Scenario Writing competition: the Affiliate Level and the International Conference. The first place Affiliate Level winner in each division is invited to the International Conference. The scenarios that win first, second, and third at the Affiliate Level will be sent on to the International level for evaluation.
If a scenario places within the top five at the International level, the writer will be invited to the IC if they have not already qualified for an invitation through other competitions.
Competitors of the Scenario Writing competition who are invited to the International Conference can complete in the Onsite Scenario Writing competition. Competitors are randomly grouped into teams of four.
Each team member is given a copy of the same Future Scene used in the other competitions. Each team member picks an aspect of the Future Scene on which to write a scenario. Two hours are given to complete the competition.
Community Problem Solving (CmPS) is a component of the FPSP that encourages students to identify and solve problems in their own community using the FPS Process. CmPS teams use the six step process to solve problems they see in their community. They compete at two levels, state and internationals. They are graded on two things, their six page addendum which is a type of formal scrap book and a six page report which has everything in writing of what they have done. At Internationals the CmPS groups have a total of three and a half hours to make a board on spot and also have to go through a half hour interview with a judge.
At FPSPI 2008, Team "Read A Book, Live A Life" from Hwa Chong Institution became the first ever team from Singapore to have won the grand championship with their work towards the autism community. In 2009, a team from Pecatonica, WI won the overall competition with a project called "DRIVE" which focused on student driving. In 2010, a team from Palm Coast, FL, won the E. Paul Torrance award (Beyonder Award) with a project called "Faces of Autism" which addressed the transition program for individuals with autism while creating a documentary, garden, and visiting various classes to educate students. In 2011, The CmPS Team from Casa Grande, Arizona, took home the Grand Champion title for their project "SOS (Saving Our School)", which addressed the students' failing school status by improving resources and access to the library, improving the transition of eighth graders to high school, forming community partnerships, earmarking funds for scholarships and improving the general appearance of the school facility itself.
There is a variation of the CmPS designed for individual competitors.
Future Problem Solving was founded in 1974 by the late Dr. E. Paul Torrance. He designed the program as a way of helping capable students think more creatively and productively about critical issues.
http://www.fpspialumni.org Future Problem Solving Program International Alumni