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Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs
Science and engineering (S & E) programs frequently claim that they teach undergraduate students how to be good problem solvers. However, there has been little research to-date that demonstrates this, in no small part due to the fact that measuring problem-solving is quite difficult. Our recent work characterized experts' problem-solving as carrying out a series of several dozen decisions made in solving novel problems; these decisions are remarkably consistent across S & E disciplines. Based on this, we developed a template for an assessment that measures students' problem-solving skills by posing questions that require them to make a subset of these expert decisions in suitable contexts. Preliminary results show that the assessment captures a wide range of problem-solving skills among students, and exposes key weaknesses in problem-solving. Most importantly, the data show that students' predictive frameworks--their mental models of a system's key features and the relationships between them-are less robust than experts', limiting students' ability to make predictions and explain observations while problem-solving. We provide detailed results from a pilot-test of this assessment in the context of chemical engineering design, which applies many concepts from physics. These results point to a general deficiency in undergraduate S & E programs: students are not being given the opportunity to practice expert decision-making, and thus do not develop robust predictive frameworks by the end of their undergraduate programs.
Physics Education Research Conference 2019
Part of the PER Conference series Provo, UT: July 24-25, 2019 Pages 75-80
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Record Link
<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=15258">Burkholder, E, A. Price, M. Flynn, and C. Wieman. "Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, July 24-25, 2019.</a>
AIP Format
E. Burkholder, A. Price, M. Flynn, and C. Wieman, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170).
AJP/PRST-PER
E. Burkholder, A. Price, M. Flynn, and C. Wieman, Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, 2019, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170>.
APA Format
Burkholder, E., Price, A., Flynn, M., & Wieman, C. (2019, July 24-25). Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT. Retrieved December 3, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170
Chicago Format
Burkholder, E, A. Price, M. Flynn, and C. Wieman. "Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2019, Provo, UT, July 24-25, 2019. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170 (accessed 3 December 2024).
MLA Format
Burkholder, Eric, Argenta M. Price, Michael Flynn, and Carl Wieman. "Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs." Physics Education Research Conference 2019. Provo, UT: 2019. 75-80 of PER Conference. 3 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{
Author = "Eric Burkholder and Argenta M. Price and Michael Flynn and Carl Wieman",
Title = {Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs},
BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2019},
Pages = {75-80},
Address = {Provo, UT},
Series = {PER Conference},
Month = {July 24-25},
Year = {2019}
}
Refer Export Format
%A Eric Burkholder %A Argenta M. Price %A Michael Flynn %A Carl Wieman %T Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs %S PER Conference %D July 24-25 2019 %P 75-80 %C Provo, UT %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %O July 24-25 %O application/pdf
EndNote Export Format
%0 Conference Proceedings %A Burkholder, Eric %A Price, Argenta M. %A Flynn, Michael %A Wieman, Carl %D July 24-25 2019 %T Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs %B Physics Education Research Conference 2019 %C Provo, UT %P 75-80 %S PER Conference %8 July 24-25 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=15258&DocID=5170 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. Assessing problem-solving in science and engineering programs:Know of another related resource? Login to relate this resource to it. |
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