| The purpose of the study was to contribute to the goal of technological literacy by advancing the knowledge base of technological problem solving.; The objective of the study was to examine the relationships between the following factors: technological problem solving potential, problem solving confidence, knowledge of a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) problem solving process, psychological type, problem solving approach, Grade Point Average (GPA), problem-specific interest, problem-specific motivation, desire to solve problems, and desire to learn about problem solving.; The study utilized the pre-experimental design method of one group pretest-posttest design and was conducted at North Carolina State University (NCSU) with sixteen students over a three-day, three-hour-per-day, workshop. Data collection instruments included Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), and other researcher-prepared forms. Pretest and posttest real world problems were given along with a problem solving process intervention. JMP statistical analysis software (SAS Institute) was used to calculate Pearson product-moment correlations, Spearman rank correlations, t-tests, Fisher's exact test, Signed rank test, and Least Squares Fit with alpha set to 0.05.; Pretest to posttest findings suggest a decrease in mean confidence , an increase in mean potential scores, a negative linear relationship for process scores, an association for desire to learn about problem solving (decrease), and no difference in mean problem solving approach scores. Pretest findings suggest a reverse linear relationship between confidence and potential scores, a reverse linear relationship between confidence and GPA, a positive linear relationship between process scores and potential scores, a positive correlation between potential scores and problem-specific interest, a positive correlation between process scores and problem-specific interest, a difference in mean potential scores for liking to solve problems (reverse relationship), and a difference in mean confidence scores for liking to solve problems. Posttest findings suggest a difference in mean potential scores for MBTI preferences of [J and P], a difference in mean confidence scores for MBTI preferences of [E and I], and a positive linear relationship between process scores and potential scores. |
