How to develop engineering students' problem solving skills using cooperative problem based learning (CPBL)

Abstract

Problem solving has been identified as the top priority attribute in engineering graduates for the 21st century. Nevertheless, the question remains on how to actually develop skills for solving real world problem in engineering students. Cooperative problem based learning (CPBL) has been shown to significantly enhance problem-solving skills among engineering students in a typical course. CPBL is the integration of cooperative learning (CL) in the problem based learning (PBL) cycle to enable efficient and effective implementation in a class of up to sixty students with one instructor acting as a floating facilitator. Research on students' perception of CPBL also showed that while many students may not initially like the drastic change from the usual “spoon-feeding” culture to learning inductively through CPBL, most of them were gradually won over as they go through several problems and CPBL cycles, especially when they realized the enhancement in skills and knowledge that they gained through the technique. This paper puts forth a summary of the research findings on CPBL, and explains how to conduct CPBL in developing and enhancing problem solving skills in engineering students.