An instrument to assess students' engineering problem solving ability in cooperative problem-based learning (CPBL)

Abstract

The development of an instrument that can be used to study students' ability in their problem solving skills while undergoing cooperative problem-based learning (CPBL) in engineering classrooms is reported. The instrument combines Philip's flowchart of traditional engineering problem solving model which was divided into definition, strategy and solution phases, with Hmelo's components of problem solving assets which are knowledge, perception and cognitive processing. The instrument consists of 24-self-report items which require students to indicate the degree of their problem solving skills across the following domains: problem identification, problem analysis and synthesis, and solution generation. The instrument also measured students' ability in conducting self-directed learning and reflection, which are very important elements in developing and enhancing problem solving skills. The instrument shows the degree of students' problem solving process skills, whether they usually take the surface or deep approach. A sample study is performed on a group of students in a third year engineering class which use CPBL as the teaching methodology, and is reported in this paper. The instrument had been validated by experts in problem solving and cooperative problem-based learning. The overall reliability of the instrument is considered high with Cronbach alpha of 0.94.