This paper reports the extent of problem-solving activity that occurred during instruction in a range of classrooms in technical education. The two studies involved 43 theory and practical classes, across 5 colleges, 5 course areas, 14 teachers and 187 students, with 544 student observations across their several lessons. The samples included new and experienced teachers, and apprentice as well as prevocational learners. The studies used videotapes, interviews and a questionnaire to examine learner and teacher activities and the resources that were used in these classes, in order to develop a picture of teaching and learning. The research also related these activities to measures of press derived from the Cognitive Holding Power Questionnaire (CHPQ) in order to examine the validity of the dimensions of the questionnaire. These analyses provide a depiction of the extent to which learners are pressed into problem-solving cognitive activity and the teaching and learning activities that contribute, as well as a confirmation of the validity of the CHPQ.