Assessing the impact of online collaborative problem solving on a calculus class for first‐year engineering students: A communities of practice lens

Brayan Díaz; Daniela Luengo‐Aravena; Pia Barahona; Patricio Felmer

doi:10.1002/jee.20622

journal article Open Access Dec 02, 2024

Assessing the impact of online collaborative problem solving on a calculus class for first‐year engineering students: A communities of practice lens

Brayan Díaz

Daniela Luengo‐Aravena Pia Barahona Patricio Felmer

Journal of Engineering Education Vol. 114 No. 1 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/jee.20622

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundWe examine the efficacy of an online collaborative problem‐solving (CPS) teaching approach in academic performance and student connections with other peers, among first‐year engineering calculus students at a Latin American university. Our research uses communities of practice (CoP) to emphasize the social nature of learning and the importance of participation and interaction within a community.MethodsThe work applies a quasi‐experimental design and social network analysis (SNA). A total of 202 engineering students were instructed using CPS methodology (experimental group), while 380 students received traditional online teaching methods (control group) during one semester in the first calculus class for engineers.ResultsResults show no significant difference in the grades obtained between the experimental and control groups. However, students exposed to CPS reported a statistically significant higher passing rate, as well as larger and more significant academic and social connections. Additionally, SNA results suggest that CPS facilitated stronger peer connections and promoted a more equitable distribution of participation among students, particularly women, compared to students taught under traditional online teaching methods.ConclusionsThe study underscores the importance of fostering collaborative learning environments and highlights CPS as a strategy to enhance student performance and network formation. Findings suggest that CPS can improve academic outcomes and promote more equitable learning practices, potentially reducing dropout rates among women engineering students. These findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to address systematic biases and enhance learning experiences in engineering education.

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Details

Published: Dec 02, 2024
Vol/Issue: 114(1)
License: View

Authors

B

Brayan Díaz

Department of STEM Education North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA

D

Daniela Luengo‐Aravena

Center for Advanced Research in Education Institute of Education, Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile

P

Pia Barahona

Center for Advanced Research in Education Institute of Education, Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile

P

Patricio Felmer

Center for Advanced Research in Education Institute of Education, Universidad de Chile Santiago Chile

Cite This Article

Brayan Díaz, Daniela Luengo‐Aravena, Pia Barahona, et al. (2024). Assessing the impact of online collaborative problem solving on a calculus class for first‐year engineering students: A communities of practice lens. Journal of Engineering Education, 114(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20622

Assessing the impact of online collaborative problem solving on a calculus class for first‐year engineering students: A communities of practice lens

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