Though ill-structured problems are more similar to problems in real-life situations, to be good at solving these problems, one needs to start with well-structured problems and gradually build into solving more complicated problems. In this way, one could begin with considering one factor at a time and learn how multiple variables interacts with each other and know that there could potentially be multiple answers. Therefore, practicing both types of problems would be essential to the success in this course, or any course.

In my chemistry class my professor tried to explain the discrete nature of all energies using a figure of a man walking up stairs (discrete) versus walking up a slope (continuous) to illustrate the difference of the two. That model worked in explaining that there are only certain levels of energies that could exist, yet the actual energy levels are not arranged evenly like stairs but in a way where the gaps between each level gets closer the further away from the ground state, which is where the model didn't work.

Having learned the concept of 'schema' in my high school's psychology course, I think the mental models should mean the same thing as schema: we either assimilate new knowledge to pre-existing mental structures or we accommodate new knowledge to form new structures. These mental structures play essential roles in increasing the speed of memory encoding and recalling. Even though sometimes schema may cause memory distortions since it's based on pre-existing notions, with enough rehearsal, this could be avoided.