By definition, a problem is any stimulus, question, task, phenomenon, or discrepancy, the explanation for
which is not immediately known. Thus, we are interested in focusing on student performance under those
challenging conditions that demand strategic reasoning, insightfulness, perseverance, creativity, and
craftsmanship to resolve a complex problem. Not only are we interested in how many answers students
know, but also in knowing how to behave when they DON'T know. Habits of Mind are performed in response
to those questions and problems the answers to which are NOT immediately known. We are interested in
observing how students produce knowledge rather than how they merely reproduce knowledge. The critical
attribute of intelligent human beings is not only having information, but also knowing how to act on it.