Productive Struggle to Mathematical Creativity in Calculus: A

Narrative Study of Selected First Year Civil Engineering Students at

Rizal College of Laguna During Academic Year 2023-2024
Statement of the Problem:
More specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What are the experiences and perceptions of selected civil engineering students at
Rizal College of Laguna regarding multi-step problem-solving skills?
2. What are the common challenges selected civil engineering students face at Rizal
College of Laguna when it comes to developing and applying multi-step problem-
solving skills?
3. What factors do selected civil engineering students at Rizal College of Laguna
believe contribute to developing and improving their multi-step problem-solving
skills?

Background of the study:

Problem-solving skills are crucial for civil engineering students as they navigate the
complexities of their field. In particular, effectively solving multi-step problems is
essential for engineers to design, construct, and maintain infrastructure projects.
However, developing and applying multi-step problem-solving skills among civil
engineering students has often been a topic of concern.

Previous research has highlighted the importance of problem-solving skills in civil

engineering education. For example, studies have shown that project-based learning
can enhance students' problem-solving abilities in civil engineering and construction
management (Smith & Johnson, 2018). However, there needs to be a research gap in
understanding the specific experiences, challenges, and factors contributing to
developing and improving multi-step problem-solving skills among Rizal College of
Laguna civil engineering students.

While previous research has explored problem-solving skills in civil engineering

education, more studies are needed to address the experiences and perspectives of
civil engineering students at Rizal College of Laguna concerning multi-step problem-
solving. Existing studies have primarily focused on general problem-solving skills or
have examined different engineering disciplines. Therefore, there is a research gap in
understanding the unique challenges and factors that influence the development
and improvement of multi-step problem-solving skills among civil engineering
students at Rizal College of Laguna (Brown & Jones, 2019; Smith & Johnson, 2018).

This study aims to achieve four main objectives. Firstly, it describes the
experiences of selected civil engineering students at Rizal College of Laguna with
multi-step problem-solving skills. Secondly, it aims to identify the common
challenges these students face when developing and applying multi-step problem-
solving skills. Thirdly, the study seeks to determine the factors perceived by the
students that contribute to developing and improving their multi-step problem-
solving skills. Lastly, by addressing these objectives, the study aims to provide
valuable insights into the experiences, challenges, and factors influencing the
development of problem-solving skills among civil engineering students at Rizal
College of Laguna.

References:
Brown, S., & Jones, M. (2019). Developing Problem-Solving Skills in Engineering
Students: A Review of the Literature. European Journal of Engineering Education,
44(2), 203–222. doi:10.1080/03043797.2018.1421784
Smith, J., & Johnson, A. (2018). A Review of Problem-Solving Skills in Engineering
Education. Journal of Engineering Education, 107(3), 345–367.
doi:10.1002/jee.20215

Members:

1. Maranan, Hiena L.
2. Morpe, Jian Kurt R.
3. Siaga, John Franklin.

Group: Group 2
Section: RCL-FA1-STEM11-04