Analytical Evaluation of Learning Experiences on Problem-Solving Efficacy of Vietnamese College Students - Innovative Management in Information and Production - page 69

2. How are the students' problem-solving efficacies in technical and scientific areas
affected by their college learning experiences?

2 Method

2.1 Sample and Instrument

This study was selected through a random sample from three member universities
at Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) including
the University of Technology, the University of Science, and the University of
Information Technology. According to Thompson's definition, with single random
sampling, setting is as follows:

1 1

n =

N =

N .

(1)

1
n 0 +

1

d 2
z 2

1

+

2

σ

The total population within three universities was 29,326 third-year students
( VNU-HCM 2009 ). Thompson (1987) showed that where = 0.10, n 0 with d =

0.10 was 403. Thus, this study used formula (1) to compute proper sample size of
398 students. However, to enhance the validity and reliability, this study planned
use a sample of 430 third-year students, exceeding Thompson's requirement.
This study uses questionnaire survey to gather data. The survey is the most
widely used data gathering in the social sciences ( Neuman 2006 ). The independent
variables in this study included three variable blocks: student backgrounds, teaching
approach, and learning engagement. The problem-solving efficacy-dependent vari-
able was constructed from four characteristics: (1) data analysis efficacy, (2) critical
thinking efficacy, (3) presenting solution efficacy, and (4) generating innovation
efficacy. Factor analysis revealed that all four competences had factor loading
(0.690 C 0.856) greater than threshold level of 0.6 and Cronbach's coefficient of
0.798, which is significantly higher than the 0.6 principal guideline and indicating
satisfactory reliability for this student competence measurement ( Hair et al. 2006 ).

α

2.2 Data Analysis Method

Descriptive analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to answer
the first research question of “Do students' technical and scientific areas differ
in their problem-solving efficacy? How?” and the multiple regression method
was used to answer the second research question of “How are the students'