TY - JOUR
T1 - Moving beyond formulas and fixations
T2 - Solving open-ended engineering problems
AU - Douglas, Elliot P.
AU - Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka
AU - McNeill, Nathan J.
AU - Malcolm, Zaria T.
AU - Therriault, David J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank the National Science Foundation for their funding of this work through grant #DRL-0909976. They also thank the project advisory board for helpful guidance and suggestions: Ruth Streveler, Maura Borrego, Julie P. Martin, Aaron Kuntz and Andrew Conway.
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - Open-ended problem solving is a central skill in engineering practice; consequently, it is imperative for engineering students to develop expertise in solving these types of problems. The complexity of open-ended problems requires a unique set of skills. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the approaches used by engineering students when solving an open-ended engineering problem. A think-aloud method was used to collect data about the problem-solving approaches of eight materials engineering students. Through the use of script analysis three approaches to solving the problem were identified, which were consistent with the Reflective Judgment Model of epistemic development. Students who used a linear, systematic approach were most successful at solving the problem. Less successful students were overwhelmed by its open-endedness and/or became fixated on a single aspect of the problem. These results point to a need to develop open-ended problem-solving skills throughout the engineering curriculum.
AB - Open-ended problem solving is a central skill in engineering practice; consequently, it is imperative for engineering students to develop expertise in solving these types of problems. The complexity of open-ended problems requires a unique set of skills. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the approaches used by engineering students when solving an open-ended engineering problem. A think-aloud method was used to collect data about the problem-solving approaches of eight materials engineering students. Through the use of script analysis three approaches to solving the problem were identified, which were consistent with the Reflective Judgment Model of epistemic development. Students who used a linear, systematic approach were most successful at solving the problem. Less successful students were overwhelmed by its open-endedness and/or became fixated on a single aspect of the problem. These results point to a need to develop open-ended problem-solving skills throughout the engineering curriculum.
KW - engineering education research
KW - epistemology
KW - problem-solving
KW - think-aloud protocol
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U2 - 10.1080/03043797.2012.738358
DO - 10.1080/03043797.2012.738358
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84870868272
SN - 0304-3797
VL - 37
SP - 627
EP - 651
JO - European Journal of Engineering Education
JF - European Journal of Engineering Education
IS - 6
ER -