[01] Ugochukwu Onwudebelu, Department of Computer Science, Federal University of Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Abakaliki Ebonyi State, Nigeria. [02] Chukwuka Iwundu, Department of Computer Science, Federal University of Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Abakaliki Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

It is a known fact that as long as there is life, there will always be problems that demand solutions. In other words, problems are part of human experiences. The investigation of the impact of Problem Solving as a University Course led to the conclusion that learning is enhanced to a great degree, especially while engaging the students in group participation, frequent interaction and feedback. In addition, the enhancement of the learner’s group and individual abilities in problem solving and decision making is recognized as an important issue in education, industry, and government. It is therefore important to actively engage students to interact with the learning environment through positive reinforcement. This has been experienced in the course of teaching CSC 102 (Introduction to Problem Solving) in FUNAI. The students were assigned to 26 groups to deliberate on topics in Computer Science within a time frame. An incentive-based or reinforcement price of $10 was proposed to the best performed group. The criteria for evaluation were clearly defined, which roused the enthusiasm of the students to research and write a report. The results suggested that the application of incentive based problem solving in learning activities more efficiently engages the students, and facilitates the intended learning objectives. This research demonstrated the fact that there is a relationship between methods of instruction, attitude, and achievement. It is therefore possible to predict achievement when problem solving strategy is incentive-based.

Problem Solving, FUNAI, Computer Science, Incentive-Based, Team Work

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