Assessment of Real-World Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills in a Technology Education Classroom

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workers need to be able to utilize their existing knowledge in science and mathematics and solve complex real-world (authentic) problems. Making timely decisions on what disciplinary areas contribute to the creation of a problem and thereby developing a reasonable solution requires critical thinking. Together, problem-solving, and critical thinking are touted as the most important skills (or abilities) needed by employees for tackling the challenges of this century. Also, having the necessary background in science and mathematics, being able to communicate well, and working with diverse teams comprised of people from all walks of life are all essential for those seeking employment. Teaching students to problem-solve in real-world STEM contexts is known to be complex and there are limited assessment instruments appropriate for classroom use. Ad hoc trial and error approach to problem-solving without the use of science and mathematics-based knowledge can be detrimental in the real-world context. Herein lies the challenge: faced with a design problem out of the context of the classroom, students may not readily recognize the STEM domains applicable to solving the problem. Engineering, through its hands-on and design-oriented approach, offers a platform in K-12 grades for integrating content and practices in the STEM fields and provides opportunities for higher-order learning. This is because higher order cognitive demands (as per Blooms Taxonomy, apply, analyze, justify, and create are higher-order thinking abilities) are made when engaged in design-based problem-solving experiences. Assessment of engineering problem-solving skills in the context of technology education or in engineering education in K-12 grades is problematic because it is time-consuming to design the lessons for each aspect of the design process and evaluate problem-solving, as problems encountered may be unique to each team or individual. Frequently, students engage in their own unique and sometimes ad-hoc trajectories in defining a problem and set about developing alternative solutions. Similarly, assessment is also time-consuming and cumbersome because of a multitude of reasons: e.g., teamwork and collaboration require peer assessments and rubrics, creativity and communication are multifaceted and require separate assessments for each facet, and there is no right or wrong solution thereby requiring subjective assessments based on many factors. For assessment in the classroom, while it is possible to prescribe a process to be followed and create benchmarks regarding every aspect of an engineering design process, doing so will eliminate the authenticity of student performance. Furthermore, students being grade-focused, tend to follow instructions closely which then inhibits their creativity and investigation using the iterative process to evaluate and optimize their solution. In this chapter, we describe an assessment instrument with metacognitive questions and a related rubric for scoring student problem-solving skills when faced with an authentic design challenge. Metacognitive questioning directs students’ thinking and responses to specific assessment items measured by the related rubric. This assessment instrument and its related scoring rubric can be used by teachers for delivering instruction and later for evaluating students’ performance by removing some of the subjectivity in evaluation.