Collaborative Research: Research: Investigating Jonassen’s Design Theory of Problem Solving in Support of Pedagogical Change in Introductory Aerospace Engineering

本项目致力于为工科本科生设计和促进基于问题的学习体验。基于问题的学习为学生提供了类似于专业领域所面临的现实世界问题解决体验。几十年来，培训医护人员的大学一直欢迎它，最近又用于培训工程师。然而，教师们发现基于问题的学习体验的创造和管理相当具有挑战性。这可能会给学生和教职员工带来负面体验，可能会破坏学习，降低人们对这一职业的整体兴趣。此外，这可能会导致教师放弃这种做法，转而采用更传统、效率更低的教学方法。这个项目将提高我们对基于问题的学习环境中师生互动的理解。此外，这个项目将引导教师设计和促进工程学学生形成问题解决经验的方法。这项工作对支持教师创建和促进基于问题的学习非常重要，这将改善工科学生的专业准备。基于问题的学习(PBL)在提供一系列理想的学习结果方面表现出了希望，而这些结果往往是工科本科生所缺乏的。然而，由于各种原因，实施对教职员工来说是具有挑战性的。在这项研究中，我们将调查PBL实施的两个严峻挑战：产生适当定义不清的问题和促进学生解决问题。两个研究问题支配着拟议的工作：RQ1)乔纳森的问题解决设计理论如何才能可操作，以帮助教师开发一系列真正的问题解决机会？和RQ2)如何将乔纳森的问题解决设计理论付诸实施，以促进师生互动和问题解决的脚手架？我们将为一所R1机构的航空工程入门课程开发问题解决经验，因为它将过渡到整合PBL经验。这一转变将以乔纳森所描述的问题类型学和问题解决特征的理论基础为指导。计划了四项中心研究活动：1)抽样和表征航空工程入门教育中使用的当前问题；2)使用结构化和复杂性作为“可控因素”，捕捉和分析四种不同类型问题在不同难度水平下的问题生成过程；3)观察和分析师生互动和学生解决问题的轨迹；以及4)与工程学教师讨论这项研究，以了解影响研究结果的可扩充性和可扩展性的问题。为了使这项研究站稳脚跟，我们将使用乔纳森被广泛引用的问题解决设计理论作为理论基础。具体地说，我们将利用他的理论的两个方面--以“结构化”和“复杂性”为特征的问题变化，以及问题类型，它识别不同的问题类型，从而激发不同的问题解决策略。通过混合方法，基于设计的研究方案，我们将使用这些方面来描绘当前问题创造的最新水平，捕捉单一课程背景下工程问题发展的过程，并追踪问题解决促进过程，以评估学生实现教师设计意图(即学习结果)的程度。这项研究将导致两个结果。首先，它将提高我们对教师在“PBL开销”方面的问题发展过程的理解--即时间、资源和与预期学习结果(RQ1)的一致性。其次，它将提高我们对PBL环境中师生互动动态的理解(RQ2)。拟议的工作将为制定标准和方法奠定基础，这些标准和方法可以支持教师更系统地发展与工程实践相一致的问题解决经验。这一研究项目是布法罗大学和北卡罗来纳州立大学的合作项目。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project is focused on the design and facilitation of problem based learning experiences for engineering undergraduates. Problem based learning provides students with real world problem solving experiences similar to those faced in the profession. It has been embraced by universities that train healthcare workers for several decades and more recently for the training of engineers. However, faculty find the creation and management of problem based learning experiences quite challenging. This can lead to negative experiences for both students and faculty, which can undermine learning and lower overall interest in the profession. Further, it can lead faculty to abandon such practices for more traditional, less effective teaching approaches. This project will improve our understanding of faculty-student interaction in problem based learning environments. Additionally, this project will lead to methods that help faculty in the design and facilitation of formative problem solving experiences for engineering students. This work is important to supporting faculty in the creation and facilitation of problem-based learning which will improve the professional preparation of engineering students.Problem based learning (PBL) has demonstrated promise in providing a range of desirable learning outcomes that are often deficit in engineering undergraduates. However, implementation is challenging for faculty for a variety of reasons. In this research, we will investigate two acute challenges of PBL implementation; generating appropriately ill-defined problems and facilitating students’ problem solving. Two research questions govern the proposed work: RQ1) How can Jonassen's design theory of problem solving be operationalized to help faculty in developing a range of authentic problem-solving opportunities? and RQ2) How can Jonassen’s design theory of problem solving be operationalized to facilitate faculty-student interaction and scaffolding of problem solving? We will develop problem solving experiences for an introductory aerospace engineering course at an R1 institution as it transitions to integrate PBL experiences. This transition will be guided by the theoretical foundations of problem typology and problem-solving characteristics as described by Jonassen. Four central research activities are planned: 1) sampling and characterizing current problems used in introductory aerospace engineering education; 2) capturing and analyzing the problem generation process for four different problem types at varying levels of difficulty using structuredness and complexity serve as “controllable factors”; 3) observing and analyzing faculty-student interactions and student problem-solving trajectories with and without an instructional scaffold; and 4) discussion of this research with engineering faculty to understand issues impacting extensibility and scalability of findings. To ground this research, we will use Jonassen’s widely cited design theory of problem solving as a theoretical foundation. Specifically, we will leverage two facets of his theory – problem variation as characterized by “structuredness” and “complexity,” and problem typology, which recognizes distinct problem types that provoke distinct problem-solving strategies. Through a mixed-methods, design-based research protocol, we will use these facets to map the current state-of-the art of problem creation, capture the process of engineering problem development within a single course context, and trace the problem-solving facilitation process to evaluate the degree to which faculty design intent (i.e. learning outcomes) is realized by students. The research will lead to two outcomes. First, it will improve our understanding of the problem development process for faculty in terms of “PBL overhead” - i.e. time, resources, and alignment with intended learning outcomes (RQ1). Second, it will improve our understanding of the dynamics of faculty-student interaction in PBL environments (RQ2). The proposed work will lay foundations for the development of standards and methods that can support faculty in more systematic development of problem-solving experiences that are well-aligned with engineering practice. This research project is a collaboration between the University at Buffalo and North Carolina State University.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.