Facilitating Problem Solving in a University Undergraduate Physics Classroom: The Case of Students’ Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Real-life and work-related situations of the 21st century present complex problems that require graduates to possess the skills to solve problems in challenging and unfamiliar arenas. Students must therefore have the skills to deal with a wide range of problems. Unfortunately, most students struggle to apply their learning to novel problem-solving situations regardless of their self-efficacy beliefs. It appears particularly significant to investigate this phenomenon in the context of physics education. Using a mixed-methods design within a collaborative learning environment (CLE), this study investigated the factors that influence students' self-efficacy in solving conceptual mathematical problems in physics. The primary data sources were the science problem solving questionnaire (SPSQ), the self-efficacy rating scale (SERS), and two semi-structured interview items. The results of multi-level regression and descriptive data analysis revealed students' self-efficacy in solving conceptual mathematical problems in physics (β=.16, p