ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCT DESIGN AND ENGINEERING STUDENTS ESSENTIAL SKILLS' FOR TOMORROW

Abstract

AbstractThis paper explores the assessment of Critical and Creative Thinking skills among Product Design and Engineering (PDE) students, whose profession holds significant potential for addressing the complex challenges facing global societies. In today's globalized world, higher education institutions must equip students to solve both local and global problems. The lack of emphasis on assessing critical problem-solving skills has led to growing concerns among employers and organizations that graduates may not be adequately prepared to meet the demands of the 21st-century workplace, including PDE.This paper uses a case study approach to evaluate the performance of final-year PDE students, specifically their Critical and Creative Thinking abilities. The study assesses two groups, Group A and Group B, which produce solutions focused on the marketplace and design sustainable solutions, respectively. The study concludes that solving wicked problems that require sustainable solutions demands a higher level of these skills. The study's findings are consistent with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's 2022 report, which also highlighted low levels of CriT and CreT in students at the same level studied for this paper.