Enhancing Collaborative Problem-Solving Skills in Online Community of Practice for Freshman Engineering Students

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 1:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Empowering Learning: Innovation, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking in Higher Education (Table 9)

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) methodology on first-year engineering students in a leading Latin American engineering school. Using a quasi-experimental design, 523 students were assigned to either CPS or traditional teaching methods for the Mathematics I course. The CPS approach involved collaborative problem-solving activities and a flipped classroom model. Results showed that students in the CPS group had higher academic passing rates and reported a denser network of social and academic connections compared to their peers in the control group. The CPS students also demonstrated more diversified and frequent study groups. These findings suggest that CPS enhances students' collaborative problem-solving skills, academic performance, and social networks, providing valuable insights for engineering education practices.

Authors

• Brayan A. Diaz, North Carolina State University

• Daniela Edith Luengo-Aravena, Spencer Foundation

• Pia Barahona, Universidad de Chile

• Patricio Felmer, Universidad de Chile