The Development of Simulation Web-Based Learning Environment to Enhance Ill-Structured Problem Solving for Engineering Students

The ill-structured problem solving is the one important skill of the Engineer in 21^st century. Thus, the purposes of this research was to develop of simulation learning environment to enhance ill-structured problem solving for engineering students and examine learners’ ill-structured problem solving. The participants of this study consisted of 3 experts to evaluate the model and 30 students of electronics and telecommunication engineering department. The research instruments for data collection consisted of model evaluation form and learner’s ill-structured problem solving interview form. The survey research was employed to this study. Then, the model evaluation data were analyzed by using summarization and interpretation description. Moreover, the learners’ ill-structured problem solving were analyzed by using protocol analysis, summarization and interpretation description. The results of study revealed that the simulation learning environment model to enhance ill-structured problem solving for engineering students consisted of designing framework and there were 7 elements in this model as follows 1) simulation problem base, 2) resource center, 3) cognitive tools center, 4) scaffolding center, 5) enhancing problem solving center, 6) collaboration center, and 7) coaching center. The result of the model assessment revealed that the elements and function of the model were appropriate in 3 aspects follow as: con-tents, media, and designing. Thus, simulation learning environment may help engineering students to construct the knowledge and enhance ill-structured problem solving skill. Furthermore, the protocol analysis revealed that the learners solved problem by using 7 processes of ill-structured problems solving.