Session T1J 978-1-4244-6262-9/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE October 27 - 30, 2010, Washington, DC 40 th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference T1J-1 Undergraduate Research and Complex Problem Solving: Understanding and Translating Such Experiences to the Classroom Anna Zilberberg, Olga Pierrakos, and Erin Thompson James Madison University, zilberax@jmu.edu, pierraox@jmu.edu, thompsem@jmu.edu Abstract - There has been much criticism about undergraduate engineering education not focusing on authentic real-world contexts which are most often associated to ill-structured domains. Undergraduate research experience is one context which provides a strong basis for our students to learn essential problem solving skills. Yet, although such experiences enable engineering students to begin the practice of solving complex problems in authentic contexts, there is a lack of understanding of the nature of these research projects. To fill this gap, we conducted in-depth interviews with students and utilized qualitative data analytic methods in tandem with the Problem-based Learning theory to classify research projects. Initial findings indicate that the research projects tend to be highly complex, moderately structured, and very different from the course-based projects. These findings are important for educators looking to incorporate research-based PBL projects into the classroom. Index Terms – complex problem-solving, problem-based learning, thematic analysis, undergraduate research BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION In recent years, several national reports have brought attention to improving the quality of STEM education at the undergraduate level with the goal to prepare engineers and scientists for global competitiveness and increasing standards of practice [1]-[2]. Given the rapid pace of technological change, STEM students can no longer be limited to mastering the content knowledge of their respective fields. Instead, they need to become life-long active learners whose problem-solving skills allow them to successfully adapt to continuously evolving environments. Unfortunately, traditional lecture-based educational approaches lack authentic real-world contexts in which complex problem-solving occurs. Rather, undergraduate engineering education mainly focuses on problems that are well-defined and well-structured. In order to improve engineering education, it is essential to expose students to real-world problems in authentic contexts, thereby fostering adaptive expertise, cognitive flexibility, and creativity. One way to immerse students in such rich learning environments is through undergraduate research (UR) projects. Widely supported by the National Science Foundation, summer UR projects are offered to highly qualified students in STEM fields. Large-scale evaluative studies recently conducted to ascertain the influence of the UR projects indicate that these experiences are very beneficial for students [3]-[5]. These benefits include, though are not limited to: (a) interest in pursuing graduate education, (b) increased confidence in one’s abilities as engineers/scientists, (c) gaining critical thinking skills [3]- [5]. Although UR seems to offer a lot of benefits, little is known about the nature of the projects undertaken by student participants. Moreover, only the best students are exposed to these experiences, thus limiting our understanding of the potential effects of UR on broader student population. In order to gain insight into how to transfer authentic problem- solving skills from the UR into the classroom, it is essential to understand the nature of the UR projects. Problem-based learning (PBL) theory provides a strong theoretical base and a classification scheme in which to frame the UR projects. Although most commonly viewed as a pedagogical approach, PBL is useful for understanding any problem- solving processes in a naturally occurring authentic environment. Next we consider the PBL theory, as it pertains to UR, in more detail. PBL is a student-centered pedagogical method under which learning occurs in a highly contextualized authentic environment [6]. Research has shown that PBL tends to promote deeper mastery of the content, self-directed learning, critical thinking, and integration of various engineering and scientific principles to solving an applied problem [6]-[7]. As the name implies, a problem is central in this pedagogical method; and it is therefore essential to understand the features of problems addressed in the PBL framework. According to one theoretical standpoint, PBL problems should be moderately structured, context- embedded, authentic, and multidisciplinary in nature. Furthermore, they should also be complex enough to challenge students, yet appropriate to learners’ cognitive level and prior knowledge [8]. The nature of engineering practice is well-suited for integrating PBL into the classroom. However, classrooms are not the sole learning