The effect of structured problem solving in teaching physics to two different groups of engineering students

• Main Author: Dumalanta, Josefina Rabara
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1992
• Subjects: Problem solving; Physics > Study and teaching; Engineering students; Physics; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/1428; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8266&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study investigates the effect of structured problem solving as a part of a comprehensive plan of Physics instruction in bringing about learning in terms of better performance in a Physics achievement test. The investigation was conducted at Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte during the first semester of school year 1991-1992. It involved 123 second year Engineering students enrolled in Physics. A teacher-made test was administered to the subjects in gathering pertinent data. The non-equivalent control group design was employed and a two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilized in the analysis of data. The findings of the study were: 1. The group exposed to structured problem solving and the group taught by the conventional method have significant difference in their achievement scores. 2. There is a significant difference in the achievement scores between the high and low ability groups of students exposed to structured problem solving and conventional method. 3. There is no significant interaction between methods of teaching and student's ability on achievement. The conclusions made were: 1. Physics instruction with structured problem solving or problem solving strategy results in better achievement among students. 2. Achievement in Physics is highly correlated to student's mathematical ability and pretest. 3. Mathematically inclined students who were exposed to structured problem solving performed better than those who were not exposed to this treatment. 4. Structured problem solving or problem solving strategy provided a mechanism for students to organize their thinking in solving problems.Recommendations made were: 1. Students must be taught explicitly how to solve problems. The use of an efficient strategy be adopted in teaching Physics to help students organize their work. 2. Enrichment exercises for solving problems using a strategy should be given more often as possible to students so they can develop their own ways of problem solving. 3. Physics teachers should emphasize to students that learning Physics needs mathematics as a tool. 4. For the benefit of the students, teachers should prepare instructional materials necessary for learning problem solving skills.5. Similar studies may be conducted over a longer period of time and to different subjects like non-engineering students. 6. Future researches may be conducted using other variables like Physics attitude and study habits as predictors of Physics achievement.