Psychology
Problem Statement:
Parents are concerned about their children’s health because junk foods are available in school canteens. What can be done to solve the problem?
Description of the Problem Solving Method:
Flowcharting is used as the problem solving method for the problem statement above. The reason for this decision is that a flowchart is an excellent pictorial representation of the flows that results to particular outcomes. Some of the most common types of flowcharting symbols that was used for the problem above are boxes, diamonds, circles/ovals, arrows, and so on.
Generally, boxes are used for processes/action steps; diamonds for decisions; circles/ovals as connectors; arrows for the direction of information/material flow; and so on. Among the various types of flowchart, the general flowchart is used for the problem on junk foods.
As an example on how to use flowcharting as a problem solving approach, please see the subheading: “Diagram Taking the Problem Apart and Showing Various Options” below:
Diagram Taking the Problem Apart and Showing Various Options:
The diagram above shows how parents are concerned about the health of their children because some school canteens sell junk foods. Junk foods are affordable that is why many students buy them. In addition to their cheap prices, junk foods taste good and have high calorific contents; however, they only have little nutritional contents because of their ingredients. No know more about this matters, parents (not to mention school authorities) will learn more about the adverse effects that junk foods can cause to their children by reading literature and studies about this issue.
A highly significant question is whether schools should be allowed to sell junk food to students. If no, then the schools perform well their job of prioritizing the overall wellbeing of their students because junk food cause more harm than good. Additionally, if school canteen will not sell junk food to students, the latter will not be able to buy and consume junk foods. Further, if school canteens are not allowed to sell junk foods, the schools in general may have previously solve this issue by simply not permitting their canteen staff to sell junk foods; thus, school officials are now focusing more on bigger, recurring issues such as bullying, school gangs, and so on.
On the contrary, if school canteens are permitted to sell junk foods, there is a greater likelihood that students will become obese when they consume large amount of junk food regularly. As students easily and conveniently buy junk foods in canteens, other students will be encouraged to buy, too. Because school canteens have a target market and earn additional money from this junk food – the practice continues.
However, there will then be parents who will air their discontent to the school officials because they let students to consume unhealthy foods. They will reason out that school officials, teachers, canteen staff, and other school personnel should be the first to know what is good for children/students. If they tolerate this kind of practice, there is no reason why other students should not follow. They will think that it is just okay to eat junk food once in awhile. Nonetheless, junk foods, which are by far addictive to people, will make students to crave more especially if they have the money to buy for themselves and in treating other people. At a larger scale, as more and more students buy junk foods, canteens are not the once benefitting but also junk food companies. The latter can then have more money to use in advertising their products. The negative repercussions is that more money is needed by the family and the government when people, which in this case are the students, get sick. Money/Funding will then also be used to put up physical fitness centers, whether in public or private places.
As parents become more aware that their children become more prone to health problems, they will find ways and means to help schools realize that the health of the youth are at stake. They will actively participate with the schools’ awareness / information drive about the health risks that junk foods bring to students. Instead of junk foods, it is then better/best to that school canteens should install affordable, junk-free food stalls and vending machines. Parent-officials and authorized representatives from various non-interests groups will then join forces in drafting policies, rules and regulations against junk foods in schools. Politicians will also then allot some of their budgets to their needy constituents, such as undernourished and malnourished children, to have free nutritional foods.
The proposed final solution to this problem is given below:
Proposed Final Solution to the Junk Food Problem:
Reference
Logsdon, T. (1993). The Midas Touch: Polishing Your Creative Problems-Solving Skills so Everything you Touch Turns into Pure Gold. Los Angeles, California: Seven Seas Publishing Company.
