A Socio-cognitive Framework and Method for Studying Technology-mediated Problem Solving

Darren K. Maczka; Jacob R. Grohs

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Publication Date: June 24, 2017
Start Date: June 24, 2017
End Date: June 28, 2017
Conference Session: Applied Frameworks
Tagged Division: Educational Research and Methods
Page Count: 15
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--27513
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/27513
Download Count: 471

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Darren K. Maczka Virginia Tech orcid.org/0000-0001-5966-5670

visit author page

Darren Maczka is a Ph.D. candidate in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. His background is in control systems engineering and information systems design and he received his B.S. in Computer Systems Engineering from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has several years of experience teaching and developing curricula in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech.

visit author page

biography

Jacob R. Grohs Virginia Tech

visit author page

Jacob Grohs is an Assistant Professor in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech with Affiliate Faculty status in Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics and the Learning Sciences and Technologies at Virginia Tech. He holds degrees in Engineering Mechanics (BS, MS) and in Educational Psychology (MAEd, PhD).

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

This theory paper introduces a theoretical framework and multi-modal research methodology to the educational research and methods community that will aid in studying technology-mediated problem solving in situated environments. While there continues to be a push for engineering educators to teach skills that enable graduates to successfully engage with the complex, interconnected problems facing today's society, current research strategies tend to be adapted to highly structured forms of problem solving. It is essential that our research methods used to study and inform teaching practices are themselves informed by a deep understanding of the complexity involved in the problem solving process.

Problem solving skills make up a significant component of how learners conceive of engineering and how they conceive of themselves as engineers. Existing research frameworks and methodologies tend to cast engineering problems either as highly structured and coupled with a cognitive model of problem solving (e.g. computational thinking, information processing models), or more recently as complex systems requiring understanding of interactions between social, technical, ethical, and political factors. While both of these viewpoints provide valuable insight, by situating the problem solver as subject and the problem as object, they each occlude the process through which the problem itself shapes the problem solver, especially in future settings with similar context. This blind spot becomes even more troubling in light of the ever-increasing presence of technology in engineering environments.

Recognizing this increasing ubiquity of technology, and that the role of technology use in engineering education remains under-theorized (Johri and Olds 2011), it is critical that we understand how technology mediated problem solving affects learner's development of problem solving skills, and their perception of what problem solving entails. While work has been done to understand how technology can shape educational practices, research protocols and analysis techniques for studying learner-technology interaction remains lacking.

Methods for studying problem solving as both a cognitive process and a social process have been well established in the literature. Recognizing the gap outlined above between these two views, in this paper we move towards a more holistic view by building a theoretical framework which views engineering problem solving as a dialectic relationship between both cognitive and social processes in which technology mediates both dimensions simultaneously. Informed by this framework, we propose an analysis technique consisting of verbal protocol analysis and critical discourse analysis applied to multi-modal data (e.g. participant video, screen-recording, interviews). Using an example application of this framework and methodology, we demonstrates how a more holistic view of problem solving can lead to deeper understanding of the problem solving process which in turn can inform strategies for constructing learning environments and activities that encourage development of the skills needed to solve today's complex problems.

Citation
Format

Maczka, D. K., & Grohs, J. R. (2017, June), A Socio-cognitive Framework and Method for Studying Technology-mediated Problem Solving Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--27513

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This theory paper introduces a theoretical framework and multi-modal
research methodology to the educational research and methods
community that will aid in studying technology-mediated problem
solving in situated environments. While there continues to
be a push for engineering educators to teach skills that enable
graduates to successfully engage with the complex, interconnected
problems facing today&#39;s society, current research strategies tend to
be adapted to highly structured forms of problem solving. It is
essential that our research methods used to study and inform teaching
practices are themselves informed by a deep understanding of the
complexity involved in the problem solving process.

Problem solving skills make up a significant component of how learners
conceive of engineering and how they conceive of themselves as
engineers. Existing research frameworks and methodologies tend to cast
engineering problems either as highly structured and coupled with a cognitive
model of problem solving (e.g. computational thinking, information
processing models), or more recently as complex systems requiring
understanding of interactions between social, technical, ethical, and
political factors. While both of these viewpoints provide valuable
insight, by situating the problem solver as subject and the problem as
object, they each occlude the process through which the problem itself
shapes the problem solver, especially in future settings with similar
context. This blind spot becomes even more troubling in light of the
ever-increasing presence of technology in engineering environments.

Recognizing this increasing ubiquity of technology, and that the role
of technology use in engineering education remains under-theorized
(Johri and Olds 2011), it is critical that we understand how
technology mediated problem solving affects learner&#39;s development of
problem solving skills, and their perception of what problem solving
entails. While work has been done to understand how technology can
shape educational practices, research protocols and analysis
techniques for studying learner-technology interaction remains
lacking.

Methods for studying problem solving as both a cognitive process and a
social process have been well established in the
literature. Recognizing the gap outlined above between these two
views, in this paper we move towards a more holistic view by building
a theoretical framework which views engineering problem solving as a
dialectic relationship between both cognitive and social processes in
which technology mediates both dimensions simultaneously. Informed by
this framework, we propose an analysis technique consisting of verbal
protocol analysis and critical discourse analysis applied to
multi-modal data (e.g. participant video, screen-recording,
interviews). Using an example application of this framework and
methodology, we demonstrates how a more holistic view of problem
solving can lead to deeper understanding of the problem solving
process which in turn can inform strategies for constructing learning
environments and activities that encourage development of the skills
needed to solve today&#39;s complex problems. 
AU  - Darren K. Maczka
AU  - Jacob R. Grohs
CY  - Columbus, Ohio
DA  - 2017/06/24
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - A Socio-cognitive Framework and Method for Studying Technology-mediated Problem Solving
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/27513
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--27513
ER  -