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Enhancing problem-solving expertise by means of an authentic, collaborative, computer supported and problem-based course

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Abstract

Instructional designs, embedding learning in meaningful contexts such as problem-based learning (PBL) are increasingly used for fostering expertise to prepare students for the demands of the future workplace. However, cognitive outcomes of these curricula in terms of expertise outcomes are not always conclusive. Based on the instructional implications resulted from research in the field of expertise development in general and in PBL curricula more specifically, we constructed and implemented a refined PBL design. With this redesign, we aimed for a more advanced level of (a) knowledge acquisition and use, (b) reasoning directionality, (c) diagnostic and problem solving accuracy.

The aim of the present research was to compare the outcomes of a ‘traditional’ and a ‘refined’ PBL learning environment. For that purpose we measured the effects of the redesign on the students’ expertise profile. An experiment was conducted in a second year course on International Marketing. In the study 75 students participated. Using a multidimensional coding scheme, constructed on the basis of results of expertise research, we analysed students’ problem-solving performance. The results of this analysis indicate hat the experimental students outperformed the control students in various aspects of expertise when analyzing the problem: The experimental group demonstrated a more extensive use of domain-specific concepts and inferences, more inductive reasoning, and both diagnoses and solutions of higher quality.

Résumé

Les concepts éducatifs situant les études dans des contextes significatifs tel l’Apprentisage Basé sur les Problèmes (ABP), sont de plus en plus utilisés pour renforcer le niveau d’expertise des étudiants afin de les préparer aux futures demandes sur le marché du travail.

Cependant, les résultats cognitifs de ces programmes d’études en terme de résultats d’expertise ne sont pas toujours concluants. Nous avons conçu et mis en place un concept redéfini de l’ABP (PBL), fondé sur les implications éducatives dérivées de la recherche dans le domaine du developpement de l’expertise et plus spécifiquement sur les programmes d’études ABP (PBL). Par la redéfinition de ce concept nous avons visé à un niveau plus élevé (a) d’acquisition de la connaissance, de (b) l’analyse des problèmes, du (c) raisonnement inductif, de (d) l’aptitude à diagnostiquer, et de (e) la précision de la relation problèmessolutions.

L’objectif de cette recherche était de comparer les résultats obtenus du PBL traditionnel en comparaison avec le PBL redéfini. Pour cela nous avons évalué les effets de ce nouveau concept sur le profil d’expertise des étudiants. Un concept expérimental a été conduit en deuxième année d’études de Marketing international. 75 étudiants ont participé à cette étude. Nous avons analysé la performance des étudiants à résoudre des problèmes de gestion, en ayant recours à un tableau à plusieurs niveaux, établit sur base de résultats de recherche d’expertise. Les résultats de cette analyse indiquent que le groupe expérimental d’étudiants dépasse le groupe témoin pour différents aspects d’expertise quant à l’analyse du problème: Le groupe expérimental démontre: (a) une utilisation plus vaste de concepts et d’inférences de gestion, (b) plus de rai-sonnement inductif, (c) ainsi que des diagnoses et solutions de meilleure qualité.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Education Service Center (OSC), Eindhoven University (TU/e), P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Jos A. R. Arts

  2. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Department of Educational Development and Research, University of Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Wim H. Gijselaers & Mien S. R. Segers

  3. Leiden University, The Netherlands

    Mien S. R. Segers

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  1. Jos A. R. Arts
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  2. Wim H. Gijselaers
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  3. Mien S. R. Segers
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Correspondence to Jos A. R. Arts.

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Arts, J.A.R., Gijselaers, W.H. & Segers, M.S.R. Enhancing problem-solving expertise by means of an authentic, collaborative, computer supported and problem-based course. Eur J Psychol Educ 21, 71–90 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173570

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173570

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