Improving Critical Thinking And Creative Problem Solving Skills By Interactive Troubleshooting

Abstract

In today's job market it is becoming increasingly important to demonstrate one's critical thinking and creative problem solving skills in addition to the traditional engineering knowledge. One effective method for improving these skills involves the use of interactive computer modules. Particularly, the simulation of faulty operation has also the advantage of adding uncertainty of industrial settings.This work will demonstrate one of the interactive computer modules developed at University of Michigan for troubleshooting, MicroPlant. This interactive computer program simulates the faulty operation of a micro-plant in which ethyl benzene is converted to styrene. It contains over forty possible faults, two of which are assigned randomly when the student signs on to the program. The program is designed to encourage the student to troubleshoot the plant with critical thinking skills in situation and decision analysis.

Examining Children’s Engineering Practices During an Engineering Activity in a Designed Learning Setting: A Focus on Troubleshooting (Fundamental)

“…Many studies also introduced techniques and strategies to teach and develop design-based troubleshooting in engineering students. For example, in chemical engineering, Gurmen and colleagues [18] discussed an interactive computer module for MicroPlant that encourage and promote students to troubleshoot. In a different study, Liang [19] has discussed a web-based learning framework that engages engineering students in troubleshooting in automotive braking systems.…”

Situation Critical: Critical Theory and Critical Thinking in Engineering Education [Career Advisor]

“…Critical thinking in engineering education occurs mostly in a focused context, directed toward fulfilling one of several ABET learning outcomes. Reviewing the literature, one finds discussions of critical thinking in the contexts of problem solving [1]- [3], conducting experiments [4], [5], ethical decisionmaking [6], [7], open-ended design [8], [9], and assessing the social impacts of technology [10]. In this work, critical thinking is applied within these focused elements of engineering but not about engineering itself.…”

Refining A Critical Thinking Rubric For Engineering

“…This involves the open-ended process of determining what is known, what has to be determined, an assessment and comparison of possible solutions or designs, and a final evaluation. Original work in open-ended design for engineering education can be found in Lunt and Helps and Gurmen et al 9 Damron and High 10 extended the research that involves writing and critical thinking to learning communities. Students in three sections of an Introduction to Engineering Course were paired in two sections of English composition with the other section not paired.…”