Conference of the International Journal of Arts & Sciences, CD-ROM. ISSN: 1943-6114 :: 6(2):355–361 (2013) Copyright c  2013 by UniversityPublications.net LIVED EXPERIENCES OF MALAYSIAN STUDENTS AND THEIR MOTHERS IN THE FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING PROGRAM: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY Shangarri Ponnudurai HELP University, Malaysia Fatimah Haron HELP University, Malaysia This qualitative study was aimed at exploring the lived experiences of Malaysian students who had participated in the international Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) and their mothers. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to identify the themes of these experiences. A thematic analysis was conducted separately for the student and mother interview data. There were eight major themes for the student data and four major themes for the mother data. Overall, the study found that participation in the FPSP was a positive experience for both the students and their mothers and the purpose of the program seemed to have been achieved. The students stated that their self-confidence had increased and that they applied the skills that they had acquired from participating in the program to their learning in academic and non-academic areas as well as to their life. The mothers indicated that their continuous support and encouragement contributed to their children’s achievement. Keywords: IPA, FPSP, problem solving skills, thinking skills, creativity. Introduction In this current era of globalization and high technology, educating the younger generation for a sustainable future is a formidable challenge for educators in many countries. How well prepared are today’s young people for a life twenty years or more in the future? Are they able to handle the problems of the future? The young people of today must acquire not only knowledge in various fields but must also have the skills to solve problems in the future. Volk (2007) had pointed out the need for educational programs that help students to think for the future. One such program is the Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) founded in 1974 by the well-known pioneer in creative education, E. Paul Torrance, and his associates as an enrichment program for gifted and talented students. In 2006, the program was officially named as the Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), Inc. (Volk, 2007). Today, FPSPI is run by a non-profit educational corporation and has over forty affiliates and mentored regions in the United States as well as in countries such as Australia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. FPSPI (2013) states its mission as “to develop the ability of young people globally to design and promote positive futures using critical, creative thinking” (p.1). The program is action- 355