The problem solving competition: a qualitative method for the assessment of problem solving and teamwork skills

A problem solving competition was used to assess teamwork and communication skills in freshman programs and problem solving in a sophomore chemical engineering curriculum. Invited students were offered compensation of $50 each for an evening´s work, plus the chance to win an additional $50 if their team won the competition. Teams were given limited time and defined access to resources to solve an open-ended problem. Videotaped group work sessions were evaluated by trained raters according to a rubric that varied with the objectives of the assessment. Each group´s videotaped oral presentation of their solution was sent to external experts for judging and awarding of prizes. Preliminary results suggest that this method has the potential to provide rich data about how students interact in teams and how they approach open-ended problems. Issues include cost, technical and logistical complexity, audio quality, and subject participation.