Summary of Doctoral Thesis of Scientific Education: Developing problem-solving skills for students in engineering majors in Thermal Science of General Physics

Research purposes: Developing problem-solving skills for students in teaching about Thermal Science of General Physics at Military Technical Officers; Research Subjects: Students'' problem-solving skills in studying Physics. Teaching process of General Physics.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

VINH UNIVERSITY -

TRAN NGOC DUNG

DEVELOPING PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS FOR STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING MAJORS IN THERMAL SCIENCE OF GENERAL

PHYSICS

SUMMARY OF DOCTORIAL THESIS OF SCIENTIFIC

EDUCATION Major: Theory and Teaching Method of Physics

Code: 9140111

Science instructor:

1 Assoc.Prof., Dr Nguyen Dinh Thuoc

2 Assoc.Prof., Dr Nguyen Thi Nhi

NGHE AN – 2020

The thesis was completed at Vinh University Science instructor:

1 Assoc.Prof., Dr Nguyen Dinh Thuoc

2 Assoc.Prof., Dr Nguyen Thi Nhi

Time: At , date month 2020

The thesis can be found at Vietnam National Library, Nguyen Thuc Hao Library – Vinh University

INTRODUCTION

1 REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC

Innovating higher education institutions and teaching methods towards capacity development The training objectives are based on the output standards to meet the performance capacity of professional human resources required by the labour market

Education - training work at Military Schools plays a very important role in realizing the goal of building Vietnam People's Army: “revolutionary”, “regular”, “elite”, “gradually modern”

General Physics is said to be a subject of basic knowledge in the curriculum of military schools and is taught from the first semester of the beginning year Therefore, the program is designed directly by the purpose of equipping students with the ability to propose and to implement technical solutions as well as analytical and practical problem-solving skills through science knowledge block related to the basic knowledge of Mathematics and Physics; specialized knowledge

With the above reasons, we choose the research topic: " Developing problem-solving skills for students in engineering majors in Thermal Science of General Physics"

- Students' problem-solving skills in studying Physics

- Teaching process of General Physics

6.1 Methods of theoretical research

- Studying Education Law, the Party and State resolutions, the Ministry of Education and Training's documents on higher education

- Studying documents on philosophy, psychology, university teaching theory, theory and method of teaching Physics; Innovative perspectives in university education, active teaching methods, issues related to research topics

6.2 Practical research methods

Making Survey and interviews with managers, experts, teachers, students

6.3 Experimental research method

Conducting pedagogical experiment to verify the scientific hypothesis of the topic 6.4 Mathematical statistical methods

Processing and evaluating survey data and pedagogical experimental results with mathematical statistical tools

7 NEW CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE THESIS

7.1 In the theoretical side

- Contributing to elucidate the scientific basis to develop problem-solving skills of students in the process of teaching General Physics in accordance with the training program

of technical branches of the Military Technical Officers

- Proposing the structure of problem-solving skills of students in general Physics learning

- Developing criteria and a scale to find out students' problems and help them to solve problems

7.2 In the practical side

- Investigating the reality of teaching General Physics in the orientation of developing necessary skills in general and problem-solving skills in particular in some army universities of the Ministry of Defense

- Proposing 4 pedagogical measures to develop problem-solving skills of students in the process of teaching Thermal Science of General Physics

- Designing the teaching process of thermal part according to developing the orientation of problem-solving skills

- Preparing conditions for teaching the Thermal part according to the orientation of developing the skills to find out and solve problems

8 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS

Introduction (5 pages)

Chapter 1 Overview of research issue (14 pages)

Chapter 2 Theoretical and practical basis for developing problem-solving skills of

students in technical major of tertiary education system(44 pages)

Chapter 3: Designing teaching a number of knowledge for developing

problem-solving skills (80 pages)

Chapter 4: Pedagogical experiment (24 pages)

Conclusions and Recommendations (2 pages)

List of author's works: (1 page)

References: (11 pages)

Appendix: (72 pages)

CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH ISSUES

An overview of the development of problem-solving skills in teaching General Physics at university is set out by the thesis including:

- Research to find out results about teaching and developing problem-solving skills in many foreign countries

- Research to find out the results of teaching and developing problem-solving skills

in Vietnam

- Problems needing the further study

1.1 Research results on teaching and developing problem-solving skills in foreign countries

Developing necessary skills in general as well as problem-solving skills in particular for learners have become an international trend This trend has not only oriented all teaching and learning activities but also is interested by researchers

Teaching process based on the abilities to figure out and solve problems interested as the effective method to apply widely in the past few decades by many various countries such as: America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, etc The goal of the method is to focus on developing necessary skills contributing to successful learners in all areas and this method has replaced the traditional educational method with a content-oriented approach

Research in many foreign countries has shown that many different methods taken by different researchers to develop the ability to find out and solve problems The above studies have the same such as emphasizing on learning activities in teaching The ability to figure out and solve problems is only improved is that when learners have a positive attitude, self studying in the process of finding out problems, brainstorming to find efficient solutions, making solutions and adjusting Learners are taught about the ability to evaluate the effect

of the solution in specific situations

1.2 Research results on teaching and developing problem-solving skills in Vietnam

Vietnam's education reform has now shifted from approaching the contents to forming and developing learners' abilities Many researches on theories and teaching methods have mentioned the development of problem-solving skills in Vietnamese educational institutions

In the studies of many authors, we found that the studies focused primarily on the following contents: identifying the vital factors of developing problem-solving skills; proposing the effective measures to improve problem-solving skills for the learners; suggesting a process to assess problem-solving skills However, these researches focuses mainly on students at the secondary and high school levels

We recognize that the concept of problem-solving skills and problem-solving skills structure is not consistent; The authors almost point out the structure of problem-solving skills according to element abilities and approaching methods to problem-solving activities The research projects which base on problem-solving skills mainly focus on teaching subjects of general education programs

To develop problem-solving skills for high school students in teaching Physics, there have been many research projects in the following main ways:

- Improve the abilities to solve problems associated with problem-solving activities during the learning process

- Use positive teaching methods, diversify modern forms of teaching such as teaching based on project, corner-based teaching, LAMAP, with the main purpose to foster students' problem-solving skills

- Use Physics exercises to improve problem-solving and creative skills

- Exploit and use learning tools, traditional and modern laboratory equipments; Apply of information technology to teaching Physics together with developing student's abilities in which include problem-solving skills

Developing problem-solving skills for students in the teaching process at universities, has been shown by teaching each specific subject of the training program

The research results in the world and in the country have confirmed that the goal of university education/training should focus on developing the abilities of students to meet the

needs of human resources for national socio-economic and international science fields Among common and professional abilities, students' abilities to decide and solve problems are extremely important

So far, no work has announced the results of research on developing the abilities to find out and solve students' problems in studying General Physics explicitly and systematically

1.3 The continuing problems to research

Theoretical and practical basic background of education as well as training system at university have many differences from general education Cognitive characteristics, cognitive capacity of students are unique The task of educational psychology in university system is to find the relationship between knowledge acquisition and the development of individual psychological functions of students In addition, educational psychology in university system also analyzes and proposes the basis for teachers to help students adapt to the specific requirements of university activities - a new environment with new requirements On the other hand, educational psychology in university system needs analyzing on the laws of forming students' personality and qualities, the important ability of acquiring knowledge with qualities and ability corresponding to bachelor's degree, It can

be said that teachers give students a way to get knowledge Along with its orientations, teachers will instruct students the effective method and useful research methodology Students will approach learning, self-study and research It means that students must have creative problem-solving skills The big questions for us need to be addressed in the thesis topic:

1 What is the structure of finding out and solving problems of students in learning?

2 Evaluating problem-solving skills of students according to criteria?

3 How to develop problem-solving skills of students in teaching General Physics in general and the Thermal part in particular?

Chapter 2 THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL BASIS FOR DEVELOPING PROBLEM- SOLVING SKILLS OF STUDENTS IN TECHNICAL MAJOR OF TERTIARY

EDUCATION SYSTEM 2.1 Teaching activities and learning activities in tertiary education system

2.1.1 Teaching process in the university

Teaching is called as a special form of education It is really necessary for intellectual development, improving the learners' personality Teaching activities can be described briefly as the systematic relationship between the components of the teaching process, as shown in Figure 2.1:

Figure 2.1 Structure of Teaching process in the university system

2.1.2 Teaching and learning activities in the university

Teaching can be said as a purposeful organized process unifying the coordination between teaching and learning activities

2.1.2.1 Teaching activities of lecturers in the university

In the view: If the student is considered to be the center of teaching activities, the teacher acts as the organizer, orienting the comprehension of knowledge of the students, guiding learning methods and helping them to get learning strategies Moreover, the teacher

is also as a scientific adviser, even as an examiner to assess the learning process of his students 2.1.2.2 Learning activities of students in the university

Students' learning activity plays a central role with having the most basic characteristics meeting the requirements of the teaching process in the university Students are both the object of the teaching activity and the objects of activities Therefore, they are often independent and creative in learning activities in order to gain knowledge, skills and techniques related to their future careers as well as practicing and participating in scientific research

2.1.2.3 Characteristics of cognitive activities of university students

In the teaching process in the university, students' awareness process is extremely original Students have begun to really participate in the search for finding out new truths It

is a scientific research activity conducted from low to high as required by the curriculum of the subjects High level is for students participating in scientific research with lecturers, scientists and other student groups to conduct research on scientific, technical and technological topics to meet the urgent demands of localities, companies, enterprises, students' cognitive process is considered a factor of research nature, it is higher than the awareness process of high school students and access to the cognitive process of scientists

2.2 Competence concepts

2.2.1 Some concepts of competence

In the study of the thesis, we use the definition of competency of author Hoang Hoa Binh (2015) to apply research on the development of students' competences, including problem-solving skills in the teaching process of the Thermal part of General Physics

According to Hoang Hoa Binh (2015), “A competence is an individual attribute formed and developed thanks to the available qualities and the process of learning and

training, allowing people to successfully improving a certain type of activities as well as getting desired results under specific conditions ”

2.2.2 The basic characteristics of competence

- The first characteristic: Competence is associated with many various activities Therefore, a fundamental competence shows clearly itself in a specific activity For example, The competence to communicate successfully are shown in communicative competence; Collaborative competence is reflected in teamwork skills

- The second characteristic: The competence to show activities brings efficiency, quality, and success

2.2.3 Competence structure

Forming and developing competence needs to identify their components and structures

So far, building competence is being pursued in two construction approaches/directions:

- The first way: Competence structure by component In this way, competency is a combination of three components: attitude + skills + knowledge (knowledge); The first constructing way is called the Competence structure according to ASK model

- The second way: Structure of ability according to component competencies/component competencies

Competence = Component (specialized fields) + Component (a part of competence) + Behavior (elements)

In the second way, people build the competence structure based on the division of competences into element competences that need to be formed

2.2.4 Types of competencies

The ability classification is considered to be a complex issue Depending on the perspective of approaching capacity, people can divide competences into different forms Currently, the materials on common competencies can help us see that competencies are classified into two main types of competences: general competences and specific competences

- General competences play an essential basic role for people to live and to work normally in society General competences are formed and developed by many subjects/fields

- Specific/specialized competences are formed and developed in a particular field or subject

2.3 Problem-solving skills of students in teaching General Physics

2.3.1 The concept of problem-solving skills

Based on the concept of competence, the characteristics of problem-finding activities and problem-solving activities in learning and scientific research, we can understand problems as the following steps:

Students' problem-solving skills in learning General Physics is said as a combination

of potential abilities (in the process of figuring out and solving problems) allowing students

to mobilize knowledge Appropriate skills with positive attitudes successfully enable students solve cognitive tasks in building new knowledge and applying knowledge into practice

2.3.2 Structure of problem-solving skills in learning General Physics

We propose a model of the skills to find out and solve students' problems in the course of General Physics including 4 potential abilities:

- Potential 1 Ability to find out problems;

- Potential 2 Ability to find solutions and make solutions;

- Potential 3 Ability of presenting solutions;

- Potential 4 Ability to evaluate solutions and results (see Figure 2.4)

In each potential ability there are the behavior/criteria

(1) Ability to find out problems includes:

- Criteria 1 Finding out contradictions in problematic situations (awareness of cognitive stresses);

- Criteria 2 Orienting the concept on solutions/tasks to solve perceived conflicts;

- Criteria 3 Identifying the problem is known as identifying a question/a problem to

be solved;

(2) Ability to find solutions and implement solutions

- Criteria 4 Collecting, analyzing and synthesizing information related to the question/problem;

- Criteria 5 Proposing solutions to answer/solve problems;

- Criteria 6 Deciding to choose the optimal solution from the proposed solution;

- Criteria 7 Making the solution with results;

(3) Ability to present solutions and results

- Criteria 8 Presenting in oral language;

- Criteria 9 Presenting in written language;

(4) Ability to evaluate solutions and results

- Criteria 10 Evaluating and reflecting on the values of results;

- Criteria 11 Evaluating and reflecting the value of the implemented solution;

Figure 2.4 Structure diagram of problem-solving skills

2.3.3 Assess students’ problem-solving skills in General Physics

2.3.3.1 Quantify the criteria and evaluation criteria

Based on potential abilities (standards), each potential ability includes actions (criteria) serving as a basis for quantification to a certain extent, helps in assessing problem-solving skills

We propose a scale to assess problem-solving skills according to the following table:

Table 2.1 Measuring scale for problem-solving skills

Finding out problems

Criteria 1 Criteria 2 Criteria 3

0.5 0.5

1

2/10

Finding and making problem-solving solutions

Criteria 4 Criteria 5 Criteria 6 Criteria 7

Assess the ability to find out and solve problems

- Total score less than 5 points: Not achieved

- Total score from 5 to 6.4: Satisfactory

- Total score from 6.5 to 7.9: Fair

- Total score from 8 to 10: Good

In order to concretize the scale of problem-solving skills in Table 2.1 above, we evaluate each criterion according to 4 different levels according to Table 2.2

Table 2.2 Scale for problem-solving skills according to the levels of criteria

Level Criteria/Score

contradictions in the problematic

situation or false discovery

With the support of teachers, students can figure out conflicts in problematic situations, but they are not sure about this

With the support of teachers, students can figure out conflicts in problematic situations

Students can figure out and identify contradictions

in problematic situations

0.5 points 0 point 0.125 points 0.25 points 0.5 points

2 Ideas on how to

solve conflicts

- Although students have the support of teachers, they have not any idea of solving conflicts or have wrong ideas

- With the support

of teachers, students have ideas about solving conflicts but they haven’t yet given results

With the support of teachers, students propose ideas

to solve the conflicts

Students come

up with their own ideas to solve the conflicts

0.5 points 0 point 0.125 points 0.25 points 0.5 points

3 Identify the

problem

Although students have the support of teachers, they haven’t identified the problem or identified it incorrectly

With the support of teachers, students can identify problems but they still have errors

With the support of teachers, they can identify the problem correctly

Students can identify the problem themselves

1 point 0 point 0.25 points 0.5 points 1 point

With the support of teachers, students can collect, analyze, and synthesize information

However, they haven't got any results

With the support of teachers, students can collect, analyze, and synthesize information

Students can collect and analyze by themselves Moreover, they also can summarize information sufficiently and accurately

With the support of teachers, students can propose new solutions but they haven’t yet

completed

With the support of teachers, students can propose solutions

Students can propose solutions themselves completely and accurately

6 Deciding to

choose the optimal

solution from the

proposed solution

Although students have the support of teachers, they can not choose the optimal solution or can decide the wrong choice

With the support

of teachers, students can propose an optimal solution but they still have errors

With the support of teachers, students can propose the optimal solution

Students can propose themselves as well as choose the optimal solution

1 point 0 point 0.25 points 0.5 points 1 point

7 Making the

solution with

results

Although students have the support of teachers, they have not had any

solutions or have wrong solutions

With the support of teachers, students can have solutions but they are not still enough

With the support of teachers, students can have solutions having many results

Students can have the proposed solutions themselves with the correct results

1 point 0 point 0.25 points 0.5 points 1 point

8 Presenting in

oral language

With the support of teachers, students can give

presentations, argue and protect the results but they are

With the support of teachers, students can give

presentations, argue and protect the results but they

With the support of teachers, students can present, debate, and

Students can present themselves, debate, defend results

convincingly

still many errors are still small

errors

protect the results

1 point 0.25 points 0.5 points 0.75 points 1 point

9 Presenting in

written language

Although students have the support of teachers, students cannot present in written language or give wrong

presentations

With the support of teachers, students can present in written language with small errors

With the support of teachers, students can present in written language

Students can present in written language correctly

1 point 0 point 0.5 points 0.75 points 1 point

10 Evaluating and

reflecting on the

values of results

Although students have the support of teachers, students haven’t evaluated the results or have evaluated the wrong results

With the support of teachers, students can evaluate the results but they are not still enough

With the support of teachers, students can evaluate the results and they argue the results

Students can evaluate the results themselves and they argue the results

1 point 0 point 0.25 points 0.5 points 1 point

With the support of teachers, Students can have

assessment for the solutions

implemented but they are still not enough

With the support of teachers, students can evaluate the solution implemented

Students can evaluate the solution implemented themselves

1 point 0 point 0.25 points 0.5 points 1 point

2.3.3.2 Methods to evaluate problem-solving skills

Evaluating students' skills is called as a measure of their personal skill development based on performance standards, with implementation standards being the concretization of educational goals Skills assessment is considered as a higher development step than assessing knowledge and skills To assess skills at a certain level, we must create opportunities for students to solve problems in practical situations, then students must apply the knowledge and skills learned at the school with moderately using its own experiences gained from outside experiences Skills assessment can be used in many different ways such

as combining results evaluation and processing assessment, evaluating in standard , evaluating basing on criteria, and peer assessment, etc

Instructors need to use a variety of assessment forms and assessment facilities/tools

- Using the form of question and answer: using problematic situations, questions containing problems, problem exercises based on information collected through the students' answers; comparing with the criteria in the scale - evaluate to comment and to score

- Observing the process of problems detection and the solutions for the problems: collecting information about the manifestations of the criteria of problem-solving skills; Using observation checklists to record, gather information, and compare with criteria in the evaluation scale for assessment

- Designing questions towards the criteria of problem-solving skills with using problematic exercises as a means

- Students can assess themselves and evaluate each other such as: Organize themselves to assess among groups, in many activities in classtime such as studying in solving exercises, experimental practice, seminar reports, self-learning activities at home

2.4 Training problem-solving skills in General Physics for students

2.4.1 The concepts "Problem" and "Problematic situation" in teaching

- The concept of the problem used to express a cognitive task question/cognitive problem that the subject can not answer if only using recurrent thinking; existing knowledge, skills and experiences of learners are not enough to answer

- "Problem" contains the three following elements: 1.Learners do not know the way

to solve answers/problems/tasks; 2 Learners have appropriate knowledge and skills;

3 Learners have needs and are interested in solving problems

- "Problematic situation": A situation in which the learners having many difficulties

in learning, the learners can be aware of the problem, wish to solve the problems and hope that they can be solved It can be said to be the situation stimulating the learners' positive cognitive activities Therefore, the potential ability of learners is raised

2.4.2 Teaching problem-solving skills

Teaching problem-solving skills has been applied and developed since the 1960s

"problem-solving skills teaching", "teaching the ways for students giving and solving problems", "Teaching skills for finding out and solving problems",etc Although the terms are different, the meaning of them is the same with the teaching process

It means that: Teaching problem-solving skills need to have a teaching process adapted to the process of building and protecting new knowledge in scientific research; The teaching process consists of the three following phases/three following stages: creating problematic situations, guiding the learners in solving problems, legalizing knowledge and applying new knowledge Teaching problem-solving ability is a general teaching method, also known as problem-solving teaching strategy

2.4.3 The structure of training problem-solving skills

The process of teaching by the problem-solving method is divided into the certain steps, stages with specific purposes There are many ways to divide the steps/stages in the problem-solving teaching

• The contents of each phase include the following typical actions:

Stage 1: Create a problematic situation, identify the problem

The teacher's task is to put the learners in problematic situations

- Create problematic situations

- Give resources to learners that they have certain knowledge, skills, if they try, they will resolve the conflict on their own

Duties of the learners:

- Develop and identify problems that arise

- Speak about the problems that need to be addressed

Stase 2: Problem-solving skills

This is an important stage, with great significance in building and developing problem-solving skills for learners They need to perform the following actions:

- Proposing hypotheses/solutions;

- Planning problem-solving activities;

- Implementing the plan

Stage 3: Accepting and passing new knowledge and skills; creating problematic situations to apply new knowledge and skills

- Affirming or rejecting the stated hypothesis/solution

Looking at the structure of training problem-solving skills, we can see clearly: Teaching problem-solving skills is considered to be a general method of teaching innovation methods Its basic idea is to bring the learners' learning process closer to the scientific research process This thought can be explained by the view that nothing is much better than bringing the learners into the process of searching, discovering and researching of the scientists

2.4.4 The levels of training problem-solving skills

In the full meaning, teaching problem-solving skills is understood that learners have been becoming the explorers during training problem-solving skills However, applying this method has been being based on the lesson content, teaching equipment, teaching time, learners' participation directly or indirectly in problem-solving activities From to these, it can be divided into teaching problem-solving skills into three levels: presenting problems, studying in each part, and researching in learning process

Level 1 Presenting problems

Teacher gives students many problematic situations to think and recognize actively problems Therefore, they are interested in the need of solving problems, they can not only think of every problems carefully to predict how to solve problems effectively but also can perform those actions by silent language The teacher then presents the way how the

problems are solved and control students' activities which help the teacher give them the correct feedback Thanks to this, the learners can receive much newer knowledge

This level may be applied in the following cases:

- The content of knowledge is too difficult for the learners to participate much directly

in the main stages of solving problems;

- Experimental equipment does not meet teaching requirements;

- The content of knowledge is so large in a lesson Therefore, there is no time for the learners to join in the process of solving problem ;

- The purpose is to introduce a model of problem-solving thinking, whereby the

learners can not only acquire new knowledge with the role of a witness but also can know the process of solving problems (The lectures in many universities are often conducted at this level for this purpose)

Level 2 Studying in each part

After the teacher give students a problem situation, all they have the opportunity to express the thoughts in language or take part in some stages of the process of solving

problems If the learner cannot figure out the problems, the teacher can support them

according to the following steps:

- Develop similar problem situations with narrower content;

- Divide the problems into smaller parts to find out easier;

- Clearly explain the problems, ask the learners to perform one of the contents in the stages of problem-solving process;

- Make conversations actively in class time (the teacher can build a system of logical questions, the following questions are deduced from the previous questions) by making conversations - presenting problems

Level 2 is often applied in specific cases where the content of knowledge is suitable in terms of time in class, the content of lessons, and experimental devices which are not too complicated and easy to implement

Level 3 Researching in learning process