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2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

RIEF: Implementing Problem-Based Learning to Facilitate Problem Abstraction Skills in a Statics Course

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session II

This project is focused on students’ problem-solving skill acquisition in a sophomore level engineering mechanics course (statics) with emphasis on building their problem-solving skills through problem abstraction (simplifying real-world objects to Free Body Diagrams). The first phase of the project involved planning and development of course materials and research studies. The second phase of the study involves teaching the course using instructional approaches that allow for students to practice developing problem abstraction skills through physical models and group problem solving. This poster will provide a summary of lessons learned in the first two iterations of teaching the course (second project phase), specifically the use of physical models, shared group explanations of problem framing and solutions, homework problems, test questions, reflection prompts and problem-solving assessment techniques.

Instructional approaches in this course were designed to encourage cooperative learning. Students were organized into teams by the instructor based on compatibility of students’ schedules. Teams began working together by collaboratively developing team contracts outlining roles and expectations. Teams worked together both in and outside of class on homework problems, design problems, and on the analysis of physical objects. These tasks were designed to improve their problem abstraction and analysis skills as well as developing intuition about how physical systems behave. While much of the work was done in defined teams, various other collaborative group approaches were used, such as jigsaws, to encourage students to take responsibility for explaining problems to their peers. Lessons learned from the first iteration of the course were used to re-construct the class for the second iteration.

Students’ problem solving skills were assessed for each homework problem set. Students were given feedback on how well they completed various steps in the problem solving process, including developing a problem statement, representing the problem, organization of information, use of equations and calculations, explanations of solution and checking for accuracy. Students were also prompted to rate their confidence in their knowledge needed to complete the problem, the amount of effort they put into the problem, their level of frustration, and their confidence in being able to solve a similar problem in the future.

Indicators of student learning and the success of instructional approaches used in the course include observations about student engagement in the course activities, student performance on homework problems and tests, students’ self-reported confidence in their knowledge and skills, and how well teams are functioning in the team-based approach to problem solving using an established teamwork survey (ITP Metrics). These data were supplemented by focus groups of students in the class.

Preliminary results show student engagement is as anticipated: students are explaining their homework problem solutions to peers, working in teams on problems, and manipulating the physical models (with guidance) in class. Initial results from graded homework problems indicate that students are feeling confident in their knowledge to complete the problems and in their ability to solve similar problems in the future.

Authors

Dr. Nigel Berkeley Kaye http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7190-7791 Clemson University [biography]

Professor of Civil Engineering
Dr. Lisa Benson http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5517-2289 Clemson University [biography]

Lisa Benson is a Professor Emerita of Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University, and the past editor of the Journal of Engineering Education. Her research focuses on the interactions between student motivation and their learning experiences. Her projects include studies of student perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards becoming engineers and scientists, and their development of problem-solving skills, self-regulated learning practices, and epistemic beliefs. Other projects in the Benson group involve students’ navigational capital, and researchers’ schema development through the peer review process. Dr. Benson is an American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Fellow, and a member of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), American Educational Research Association (AERA) and Tau Beta Pi. She earned a B.S. in Bioengineering (1978) from the University of Vermont, and M.S. (1986) and Ph.D. (2002) in Bioengineering from Clemson University.
Evan Taylor http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1974-8978 Clemson University [biography]

Evan Taylor is a Ph.D. candidate from Clemson University in the Mechanical Engineering department. His primary research effort is through VIPR-GS, focusing on model-based systems engineering of ground vehicles. He is planning on graduating in the Summer of 2026. In addition, Evan is also interested in developing his skills as a teacher and community leader, through education research and student government
Margaret Ann Bolick Clemson University [biography]

Margaret Ann Bolick is a doctoral candidate in Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University. Prior to her graduate studies, she taught high school mathematics and science in the Boston Public Schools, where she cultivated a commitment to challenging systemic barriers to student success. Her research centers on systems-level comparisons across international contexts, with a particular focus on how these structures shape the experiences of first-generation college students in introductory mathematics courses. In addition to her dissertation work, Margaret Ann contributes to multi-institutional research initiatives examining equity-oriented departmental change, the experiential capital of S-STEM scholars, and student learning gains in introductory engineering courses. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching in Mathematics Education and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, both from Boston University.
Sarah Otterbeck Clemson University [biography]

Dr. Sarah Otterbeck is a Teaching Consultant, Research Specialist, and Program Coordinator at an R1 land grant university, where she supports faculty educational development, student professional development, and instructional innovations across STEM disciplines. Her work focuses on inclusive teaching practices, reimagining engagement and participation, and student career readiness within a federally funded research center. She has led workshops, developed faculty resources, and contirbuted to national conversations through a leadership position in one of her professional organizations. Sarah's current projects include designing interactive math learning sessions for first-year STEM students and conducting a multi-level needs assessment to enhance graduate training programs.
Makayla Headley http://orcid.org/0009-0003-2941-7854 Clemson University [biography]

Makayla Headley is a doctoral student in the Department of Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University, and an NSF Bridge to Doctorate fellow. Alongside her PhD studies, Makayla earned a Master of Science in Computer Science (2025) at Clemson University, with a concentration in Data Science. She earned a B.S in Chemical Engineering (2022) from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Makayla worked as a process engineer for over a year at Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Technology Laboratory (ATL). Makayla was awarded a supplemental INTERN grant from the NSF to support her doctoral studies and work with ABET. She is observing ABET reviews to better understand the accreditation process and to inform research questions and methods for her dissertation. Makayla Headley, a GEM Fellow who worked with the ULRI Institute for Research Experiences & Education (IREE) performed work that went hand-in-hand with her engineering background and social science research experience. Her dissertation research centers on engaging engineering students in the engineering accreditation system, with the goal of aligning accreditation practices with students’ future careers. Through this work, she aims to build partnerships and programs in industry for engineering students.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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