Fostering Problem-Solving Skills: A STEAM-Oriented Framework for Engineering and Non-Engineering Majors

This paper presents a comprehensive framework for developing problem-solving skills across various disciplines based on a three-step thinking process: provoke, develop, and predict. The framework uses inquiry questions as a means of stimulating critical thinking (a sub-skill of higher-order thinking skills) and, ultimately, engagement in the problem-solving mental process. The framework emphasizes active learning and cognitive engagement using learning verbs to engage students autonomously in their learning experience. The concept of the learning curve is integrated to illustrate how repeated exposure to problem-solving tasks leads to enhanced understanding and skill mastery. The preliminary results of a test that combined multiple-choice questions with a real-life case-based scenario indicate an improvement in students’ ability to solve problems and the ability of the test to distinguish between different levels of problem solving among students. The development of the learning curve provides insight into the effectiveness of the instructional problem-solving strategy, emphasizing the importance of iterative learning and continuous assessment based on the specific learning verbs.