Evaluating the effectiveness of online lectures in developing problem-solving skills in engineering students

• Main Author: Puah, Alice Xee Ran
• Other Authors: Lye Sun Woh
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2025
• Subjects: Engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/181913
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study examines the effectiveness of online lectures in developing problem – solving skills in engineering students. Using the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model as an approach to conduct the pre – test and post – test on students. A sample of 15 engineering students were evaluated based on 5 criteria: problem definition, conceptualisation, analysis and calculation, design and evaluation. Results revealed a statistically significant improvement in scores from pre-test to post-test, indicating that students demonstrated gains in problem-solving skills after learning the course. The study suggest that online lectures and courses should incorporate digital tools and implement regular formative assessments to allow for peer collaboration and immediate feedback from instructors, thereby enhancing learning outcomes. Further research with larger sample size and additional follow – up assessments could further investigate the long – term retention of problem-solving skills. Comparative studies exploring Problem – Based Learning (PBL) against other instructional approaches, such as hybrid and blended learning models, are also recommended to gain deeper insights into the effectiveness of different teaching methods in developing problem-solving abilities.