Exploring the Effects of a Problem Typology Framework on Student Engagement in a Selection Problem

Abstract In most engineering curricula, students are often not given opportunities to solve design problems outside their introductory engineering courses and capstone design. This inhibits them from exercising their ability to navigate ill-structured and complex problem elements inherent to design problems. Problem-based learning (PBL) can help provide opportunities to exercise these abilities by allowing students to gain experience in problem framing and decision-making. However, implementing PBL is often challenging because faculty must navigate problem design, facilitation, and assessment. In this study, we investigate the impact of using an explicit problem typology framework in facilitating student progression in a PBL environment where they engage with a selection problem, a common subproblem in design. One student section was exposed to this problem typology framework (intervention group), while another section was not (control). Using retrospective interview data from students, we analyzed how students talked about their engagement with the selection problem. Results of interview analysis were supplemented by analysis of student assignment submissions. We find that students introduced to the problem typology framework focused less on the reporting of equations and calculations, were more articulate in developing and describing the use of a ranking system in support of selection, and focused on aspects of mathematical and procedural reasoning contributing to the confidence in their final solution. Our interpretation of these findings is that students who used the framework began to view design as sociotechnical, not technorational, in nature. These facets may be missed, even in more open pedagogies like PBL, if facilitation strategies are not carefully considered. We believe these findings lend support for continuing efforts to operationalize Jonassen’s design theory of problem solving to develop PBL environments.