In order to analyze students' problem-solving strategies, tablet PCs were used to capture student problem solving attempts for 3 separate problems (n=76) completed by students in an introductory engineering course. Specific goals of this project include: (1) elucidate how first year engineering students utilize problem solving strategies, and (2) evaluate successful and unsuccessful problem solving strategies, as well as errors and misconceptions, in terms of cognitive and metacognitive processes. Data collected from 36 students in Spring 2011 has been analyzed using a validated coding structure. The analysis identifies relevant events within well-structured word problems which had multiple possible ways of solving the problem but only one correct answer. To assess mental workload students experience as they solve problems, a task load index (NASA-TLX) was administered after students completed each problem. The NASA-TLX is a survey with six subscales: three measuring demand put on the participant by the task and three measuring stress added by the participant as a result of interacting with the task. Statistical analysis of solution data for the three problems (related to efficiency of a multi-stage solar power system, formulating an equivalent circuit, and solving for the total pressure in a system) produced interesting results related to planning and visualization tasks such as organizing information at the beginning of the problem and drawing a visual representation of the system. Statistical comparisons revealed that students who conducted a complete planning phase were more likely to obtain correct solutions (p=0.05) and students who drew diagrams with labels that illustrated the relationship of variables were associated with lower overall mental workload (p=0.036), lower mental demand (p=0.018), and lower frustration (p=0.011). This information can be used to inform researchers on different strategies that novice problem solvers use to manage the problem solving process and the effectiveness of those strategies. The ultimate goal of this project is to better design and present problems in introductory engineering courses to capitalize on strategies that lead to successful building of problem-solving skills.
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