Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 850 de 957
Dealing With Ambiguity in Open-Ended Engineering Problems
Elliot P. Douglas
edoug@mse.ufl.edu
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
United States of America
Nathan McNeill
nmcneill@ufl.edu
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
United States of America
Mirka Koro-Ljungberg
mirka@ufl.edu
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
United States of America
David J. Therriault
therriault@coe.ufl.edu
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
United States of America
Abstract: Thirty materials engineering students solved four problems which
varied in level of complexity as well as closed- and open-endedness. Students
scored lower on more complex problems, but scored higher on open-ended
problems. However, students who solved the problems in a think aloud setting
expressed greater discomfort with the open-ended problems because of the lack
of constraints provided by these problems. Students dealt with the ambiguity of
the open-ended problems in a variety of ways. Some students provided
ambiguous answers while others added their own constraints to the problems.
The manner in which problems were scored may have contributed to the
unexpected finding that students scored higher on open-ended problems.
Introduction
Open-ended problem solving is critical to engineering practice, and yet classroom
instruction often does not adequately provide opportunities for students to learn the
processes needed to address open-ended problems (Jonassen, Strobel, & Lee, 2006). Openended
problems are not fully constrained and often possess multiple criteria that can be
used to evaluate solutions (Shin, Jonassen, & McGee, 2003). This ambiguity, or lack of
complete constraints, can lead to differences in problem interpretation between problem
solvers and means that a variety of solutions are possible. Criteria used for judging
solutions to open-ended problems are often subjective and as a result solutions are
neither right nor wrong but are judged in terms of plausibility or acceptability (Simon,
1981; Voss, 2006). In contrast, closed-ended problems have “only one correct solution that
can be determined with total certainty” (Schraw, Dunkle, & Bendixen, 1995, p. 523)
Problems may also vary in complexity in addition to being closed- or open-ended.
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011