Non-routine Mathematical Problem-Solving: Creativity, Engagement, and Intuition of STEM Tertiary Students

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aut.relation.endpage278
aut.relation.issue4en_NZ
aut.relation.journalSTEM Educationen_NZ
aut.relation.startpage256
aut.relation.volume1en_NZ
aut.researcherKlymchuk, Sergiy
dc.contributor.authorEvans, Ten_NZ
dc.contributor.authorKlymchuk, Sen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorMurphy, Pen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorNovak, Jen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorStephens, Jen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorThomas, Men_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2021-11-26T00:56:13Z
dc.date.available2021-11-26T00:56:13Z
dc.date.copyright2021-11-24en_NZ
dc.date.issued2021-11-24en_NZ
dc.description.abstractThis study set out to evaluate an intervention that introduced a period of non-routine problem-solving into tertiary STEM lectures at four tertiary institutions in New Zealand for 683 students. The aim was twofold: to attempt to increase student engagement and to introduce them to the kind of domain-free abstract reasoning that involves critical, creative, and innovative thinking. This study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, utilizing different types of instruments to gather data: comprehensive student pre- and post-test questionnaires, a content validation survey for the questionnaires, focus group interviews (student participants), open-ended questionnaire (lecturer participants), and naturalistic class observations. The main findings are as follows. Students' behavioural engagement was significantly greater during the intervention. Perceptions of the utility value of the activity improved at the end of the semester for all students. There were no significant changes in students' convergent thinking (problem-solving), intuition, or creativity (originality, fluency, and elaboration traits of the divergent thinking) during the course, probably due to the relatively short timescale of the intervention. However, overall, the results of the investigation suggest that with a relatively small effort, teachers can improve STEM student engagement by devoting a few minutes per lecture on non-routine problem-solving. This is something that can be easily implemented, even by those who primarily teach in a traditional lecturing style.
dc.identifier.citationSTEM Education, 2021, 1 (4) : 256-278. doi: 10.3934/steme.2021017
dc.identifier.doi10.3934/steme.2021017en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn2767-1925en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn2767-1925en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/14733
dc.relation.urihttps://www.aimsciences.org/article/doi/10.3934/steme.2021017en_NZ
dc.rights©2021 The Author(s). Published by AIMS, LLC. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccessen_NZ
dc.subjectEngagement; Puzzle-based learning; STEM education; Tertiary education; Mixed-methods
dc.titleNon-routine Mathematical Problem-Solving: Creativity, Engagement, and Intuition of STEM Tertiary Studentsen_NZ
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id444534
pubs.organisational-data/AUT
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies/School of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies/School of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences/Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Tertiary Education Centre
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Design and Creative Technologies
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Design and Creative Technologies/PBRF ECMS
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