This paper proposes the notion of problem templates (PTs), a concept based on theories of memory and expertise. These mental constructs allow experts to quickly recognise problem states, almost instantaneously retrieve potentially vast amounts of domain-specific information, and seemingly effortlessly implement strategies to solve the problem. We investigate the role of problem templates in intelligent tutoring systems. An evaluation study was conducted in which PTs were created and implemented in SQL-Tutor. PTs were used to model students and make pedagogical decisions. Students using templates showed high levels of learning within short periods of time. Further evaluation studies are required to investigate the extent and detail of its effect on learning.