Anyone not aware that this is a time of profound change in ''' education is asleep at the wheel''

1
Anyone not aware that this is a time of profound
change in ... education is asleep at the wheel..

• Our challenge is to ensure that we control our
  destiny by shaping new solutions to unprecedented
  challenges.
• (Brand 1993)

2
Characteristics Needed in College Graduates

• High level of communication skills
• Ability to define problems, gather and evaluate
  information, develop solutions
• Team skills -- ability to work with others
• Ability to use all of the above to address
  problems in a complex real-world setting
• Quality Assurance in Undergraduate Education
  (1994) Wingspread Conference, ECS, Boulder, CO.

3
Recommendations from the Carnegie Foundation

• Make research-based learning the standard.
• Build inquiry-based learning throughout the four
  years.
• Link communication skills and course work.
• Use information technology effectively.
• Cultivate a sense of community.

4
Cooperative Learning What the research shows

• Academic Success
• higher achievement, including knowledge
  acquisition, accuracy, creativity in
  problem-solving, and higher reasoning level.
• Attitude Effects
• persistence towards goals, intrinsic
  motivation, applying learning in other
  situations, greater time on task
• Johnson, Johnson, and Smith (1998 )

5
Methods of Active/Group Learning

• STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
• temporary groups permanent groups
• THINK/PAIR/SHARE PBL

6
What is Problem-Based Learning?

• Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional
  method that challenges students to
  "learn to learn," working cooperatively in groups
  to seek solutions to real world problems.
• PBL prepares students to think critically and
  analytically, and to find and use appropriate
  learning resources.

7
What are the Common Features of PBL?

• Learning is initiated by a problem.
• Problems are based on complex, real-world
  situations.
• Information needed to solve problem is not
  initially given. Students identify, find, and
  use appropriate resources.
• Students work in permanent groups.
• Learning is active, integrated, cumulative, and
  connected.

8
PBL The Process

• Students presented with problem. They organize
  ideas and previous knowledge.
• Students pose questions, defining what they know
  and dont know.
• Assign responsibility for questions, discuss
  resources.
• Reconvene, explore newly learned information,
  refine questions.

9
Characteristics of Good PBL Problems

• Relate to real-world, motivate students
• Require decision-making or judgements
• Multi-page, multi-stage
• Designed for group-solving
• Initial questions open-ended, encourages
  discussion
• Incorporates course content objectives
• Challenges to higher-order thinking

10
Traditional end-of-chapter problem

• A 1500-kg car traveling east with a speed of 25
  m/s collides at an intersection with a 2500-kg
  van traveling north at a speed of 20 m/s. Find
  the direction and magnitude of the velocity of
  the wreckage after the collision, assuming that
  the vehicles undergo a perfectly inelastic
  collision (ie, they stick together).
• Serway and Faughn. 3rd ed. College Physics,
  Saunders, 1992.

11
A Day in the Life of John Henry, Traffic Cop

• First page
• What questions? Measurements?
• Data? Physics principles?
• If cars collide at right angles,
• what direction?

12
More John Henry page two...

• Some data given
• Sketch of accident scene
• Who was killed in accident?
• Explain your reasoning.

13
More John Henry Third page

• Given Coefficient of friction
• Find Velocities of cars before impact
• Which car delivers greater force of impact?
• How can John Henry find speeds of cars before
  impact?

14
John Henry, continued.

• Given length of skidmark
• Find velocities prior to braking
• Whom should John Henry cite? Justify your
  reasoning.

15
What the students decided .

• Vehicle 1
• Approximate speed prior to impact 46-49 mph
• Vehicle 2
• Did not stop at stop sign.
• Cite driver of vehicle 2!

16
PBL Models for Undergraduate Courses

• Medical School Model
• Small class, one instructor to 8-10 students
• Floating Facilitator Model
• Small to medium class, one instructor, up to 75
  students
• Peer Tutor Model
• Small to large class, one instructor and several
  peer tutors
• Large Class Models