Student Interest During Complex Problem Solving

• In Event: Bridging the Divide: Applications of Mixed Methods to Advance Motivation Studies

Abstract

The current study investigates students collaborativly solving a complex problems with the assumption that theseproblems have the potential to repeatedly stimulate interest and thus to continuously engage learners. Participants were 327 high school students, who took part in a 15 lessons PBL classroom intervention based on an ill-structured problem on the topic of energy supply. Results demonstrate that complex problems have the capacity to stimulate situational interest repeatedly as significant and substantial increases in situational interest were observed several times during the intervention. Analysis of both quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data showed that high levels of situational interest were related to students’ perceptions of knowledge deprivation or novelty and students’ basic needs satisfaction over time.

Authors

• Maximilian Knogler, Technical University of Munich

• Alex Gröschner, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena

• Doris Lewalter, Technical University of Munich