A preliminary model of problem categorisation to explore the cognitive abilities required for problem solving in engineering education

• The provision of engineering education as a means of enabling students to develop contemporarytransversal competencies such as problem solving, critical thinking, adaptive reasoning andcommunication, places a responsibility on curriculum designers to reposition these aptitudes within thehierarchy of desired skills. Problem solving is a fundamental attribute of each engineering discipline andplays a pivotal role in the work of an engineer. Problem solving is highlighted as a higher-ordercognitive task that engages actions and thoughts, which prompts this investigation of it through acognitive lens. With consideration of the range of abilities contributing to an individual’s generalcognitive ability, the likely cognitive abilities necessary for successful problem solving are explored andpositioned within the context of engineering education and the broader engineering profession. Theproblems faced by engineers differ through a variety of means. Problems can vary from well- to ill-defined, and through the requirement of reflective or active means to solve them. It is proposed that thecognitive abilities necessary to problem solve vary depending on these factors. A model is presentedwhich aims to support the identification of the cognitive abilities necessary for problem solving inconsideration of the nature of and approach taken to solving a problem. Through consideration of theseelements, the model aims to support engineering education and industrial training programs inaddressing the skills gaps that have emerged through the advancements of technology and society.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Engineering education

problem solving

cognitive abilities

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)