Enhancing generic thinking skills of tertiary STEM students through puzzle-based learning
Status
Completed: 14 September 2017
Project Details
A one-year project to evaluate the impact of the regular use of puzzles, paradoxes and sophisms (PPS) as a pedagogical strategy for enhancing generic thinking skills of tertiary science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students. A collaboration of Auckland University of Technology and University of Auckland.
Aims:
The aim of using PPS in teaching/learning is to:
- engage tertiary STEM students' emotions, creativity and curiosity
- improve general problem-solving skills of tertiary STEM students
- enhance their critical and creative thinking skills and their lateral thinking ‘outside the box’.
Methodology:
The impact of the pedagogical strategy was evaluated qualitatively via comprehensive questionnaires, interviews and class observations involving 137 STEM students from four groups at AUT and the University of Auckland.
Team
Dr Sergiy Klymchuk
Project leader
Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Honorary Professor Mike Thomas
The University of Auckland
Professor Sergei Gulyaev
Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Dr Tanya Evans
The University of AucklandStatus
Funding
$36,250.00 (excl GST)
Key Findings
- The vast majority of the participants reported that the regular use of PPS helped them to enhance their problem-solving skills (91%) and generic thinking skills (92%).
- 82% of participants also commented that other various benefits resulted from using this pedagogical strategy.
Key Recommendations
Further research | The project recommends, after analysing the observed overwhelming positive students’ attitudes, that there is a need for further and more rigorous investigation of this suggested pedagogical strategy.
This report presents findings from a year-long project assessing the effectiveness of integrating puzzles, paradoxes, and sophisms (PPS) into the curriculum to improve critical thinking skills among STEM students at the tertiary level.
- 20 November 2017
This resource, prepared by Sergiy Klymchuk and Sergei Gulyaev, offers a curated collection of puzzles, paradoxes, and sophisms tailored to foster critical thinking among tertiary STEM students.
- 20 November 2017