Abstract:

In a traditional teaching approach, the teacher transmits knowledge to the students by solving types of problems and the student replicates them in the same or similar scenarios. This strategy is effective and appropriate especially when the knowledge that is intended to be taught is closed and follows a single resolution process. However, when a problem can be solved in several ways, with different possible alternatives or sequences, the choice of the optimal solution process becomes an objective with a high level of cognitive difficulty, as it implies the need to propose different alternatives for resolution, their evaluation and discussion, and the choice of the most appropriate one. This implies that it is the students who have to develop the resolution process autonomously, and not limit themselves to understanding a resolution presented by the teacher.

Problem solving is a complex process, an exclusively individual approach can lead to unsuccessful approaches, since the problem can only be tackled with the previous knowledge that is available, without adding new knowledge or strategies. This requires interaction with other students and with the teacher, in a teaching process centred on the analysis and evaluation of alternatives, through discussion in small groups.

This paper presents a cooperative problem-solving teaching strategy based on an adaptation of Aronson's puzzle, which develops skills such as qualitative analysis, hypothesising, problem-solving strategy development, and evaluation of the result obtained. In this approach, three problems are solved in a group of three students, dividing the problem into three phases (analysis and planning, resolution, and evaluation of the result), so each student participates in one of the resolution phases in each of the three problems posed. In this way, each problem is solved with the participation of all three students. On the other hand, at the group level, the discussion among its members, and having to reach consensus in small groups ensures that the resolution process is subject to continuous revision, optimising the solution in an iterative process.

The puzzle teaching approach has been used in two STEM subjects, "Introductory Physics" in the Dual Engineering degree at IMH-UPV/EHU and "Computer Aided Design" in engineering degrees at UPV-EHU (University of the Basque Country). In order to evaluate the improvement in the development of problem-solving skills, experimental and control groups have been contrasted. The results show a significant improvement, both in the percentage of correctly solved problems and in the problem-solving process.

Keywords:

Problem solving, STEM, cooperative learning.