Design as a catalyst for engaging students in creative problem solving

Abstract

This project addressed an identified need to support academics in the design and redevelopment of curricula in which creativity is embedded and serves as a catalyst for engaging students in the creative problem solving process (CPS). <br/> Project aims <br/> The project aimed to achieve this through the design and development of a CPS framework and open source online CPS tools (Ingenium) to act as a scaffold for academics in the development and redevelopment of courses (Ingenium Teacher's Tool) and a CPS tool for students (Ingenium Student's Tool) to guide them through the creative problem solving process in their coursework. The project also aimed to develop guidelines for academics and students, trials of the use of CPS in courses across a range of disciplinary fields and a suite of resources available via the project site. Through an engaged dissemination approach, the project sought to have an impact on the wider higher education sector. <br/> Research approach <br/> A design-based research (DBR) approach was adopted to develop a CPS framework and open source suite of CPS tools for academics, students and researchers. The DBR approach involved an iterative approach incorporating design of the CPS tools, trialling the tools in courses, evaluating the academic and student experience in those courses and then redesigning the tools based on the formative feedback. The CPS tools were developed as open source applications to enable them to be adapted to different institutional contexts and to ensure long term sustainability through further developments by the open source community. Formative feedback was obtained from academics and students via an anonymous online survey identifying the benefits and challenges in following the creative problem solving approach as well as the usability of the tools developed for teachers and students (see Appendix A for copy of research instruments). The research method included interviews with academics who trialled the tools and resources at the conclusion of the project to identify guidelines to assist other academics wishing to embed CPS in their curriculum. These guidelines were also informed by analysis of the trials developed through the trials and the findings from focus groups conducted at an employers' forum facilitated by the Career Services Team from the Learning and Teaching Unit at the University of South Australia. <br/> The primary methods for evaluation of Ingenium were online and paper-based anonymous surveys for both the teachers and students participating in the trials, as well as teacher reflections on the experiences of their students and semi-structured interviews conducted with academics at the completion of the trials. The project website and CPS tools were also subjected to auditing for accessibility against the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to ensure compliance at Double AA standards. An independent summative evaluation was undertaken by Ms Deanne Gannaway, Manager of the Evaluation Unit, at The University of Queensland. This summative evaluation included review of the project site and deliverables, review of project documentation and communication and interviews conducted with project team members and academics participating in the trials. Ms Gannaway's recommendations have been incorporated into the recommendations section of this report.