Chemical Engineering Problem Solving: How Important Is Persistence?

Over the past two decades, research on problem solving has focused on identifying the factors that impact successful problem solving. One factor researchers have identified is that persistence and doggedness are frequently key attributes of successful problem solvers. Some researchers have suggested, however, that as the number of distractions available to students increases (e.g., cell phones, social networking), the problem solving abilities of students will decline because problem solving persistence is not properly developed. This paper begins by examining previous research on the link between persistence and problem solving successes. Most of this research has been based on observations of students trying to solve problems in mathematics and physics. To gain additional insight into the connection between persistence and problem solving success, we examine self-reported time utilization data from both second-year and third-year chemical engineering students. Persistence is examined both in terms of the average length of time between interruptions while solving a problem and the total amount of time spent on a problem. In most cases, the data shows a positive correlation between problem solving success and persistence, but the correlation is weak and not as significant as other factors in determining problem solving success. Further, time per problem solving session is more important than the total time spent per problem in determining problem solving success for the lower-level course, but for the upper-level course, the opposite result was observed. There, the total time spent per problem was a significant variable, but time between interruptions was not significant.