ProblemBased Learning and the Undergraduate Research Experience

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Problem-Based Learningand the Undergraduate
Research Experience
Workshop at North Dakota State University March
3, 2000 George Watson, ghw_at_udel.edu Dept of
Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware
Slides borrowed liberally from Barb Duch,
bduch_at_udel.edu, UD Math/Sciences Education
Resource Center
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John Dewey
True learning is based ondiscovery guided by
mentoringrather than the transmission
ofknowledge.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate Education (Boyer
Commission, 1998)
REINVENTING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION A Blueprint
for America's Research Universities http//notes.c
c.sunysb.edu/Pres/boyer.nsf
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
I. Make Research-Based Learning the Standard
Undergraduate education in research universities
requires renewed emphasis on a point strongly
made by John Dewey almost a century ago learning
is based on discovery guided by mentoring rather
than on transmission of information. Inherent in
inquiry-based learning is an element of
reciprocity faculty can learn from students as
students are learning from faculty.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
I. Make Research-Based Learning the Standard
SIGNS OF CHANGE University Case
Study Problem-based Learning University of
Delaware Problem-based learning was adopted in
all basic science classes at the University of
Delaware to promote active learning and connect
concepts to applications. Students are not given
all the information they need to solve the
open-ended real-world problems, but are
responsible for finding and using appropriate
sources. They work in teams with access to an
instructor trained graduate or undergraduate
students help lead some groups.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
II. Construct an Inquiry-Based Freshman Year
The first year of a university experience needs
to provide new stimulation for intellectual
growth and a firm grounding in inquiry-based
learning and communication of information and
ideas.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
III. Build on the Freshman Foundation
The freshman experience must be consolidated by
extending its principles into the following
years. Inquiry-based learning, collaborative
experience, writing and speaking expectations
need to characterize the whole of a research
university education. Those students who enter
the research university later that the freshman
year need to be integrated smoothly into this
special atmosphere.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
IV. Remove Barriers to Interdisciplinary
Education
Research universities must remove barriers to and
create mechanisms for much more interdisciplinary
undergraduate education.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
V. Link Communication Skill and Course Work
Undergraduate education must enable students to
acquire strong communication skills, and thereby
create graduates who are proficient in both
written and oral communication.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
VI. Use Information Technology Creatively
Because research universities create
technological innovations, their students should
have the best opportunities to learn
state-of-the-art practices -- and learn to ask
questions that stretch the uses of technology.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
VII. Culminate with a Capstone Experience
The final semester(s) should focus on a major
project and utilize to the fullest the research
and communication skills learned in the previous
semesters.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
VIII. Educate Graduate Students as Apprentice
Teachers
Research universities must redesign graduate
education to prepare students for teaching
undergraduate students as well as for other
professional roles.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
IX. Change Faculty Reward Systems
Research universities must commit themselves to
the highest standards in teaching as well as
research and create faculty reward structures
that validate that commitment.
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Ten Ways to Change Undergraduate
Education (Boyer Commission, 1998)
X. Cultivate a Sense of Community
Research universities should foster a community
of learners. Large universities must find ways
to create a sense of place and to help students
develop small communities within the larger whole.
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Your Own Observations?
From your own experience as teachers or
students What challenges from the Boyer report
are already being addressed in your
courses? or What challenges will you be
addressing for future use in your courses?
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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.

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Cooperative LearningWhat 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 )

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Methods of Active/Group Learning
Student Involvement
temporary groups
permanent groups
think/pair/share
PBL
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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.

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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.

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PBL The Process

• Students are presented with a problem. They
  organize ideas and previous knowledge.
• Students pose questions, defining what they know
  and do not know.
• Each student in the group is assigned
  responsibility for questions, discuss resources.
• Groups reconvene to explore newly learned
  information and refine questions.

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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.

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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?

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More John Henry page two...

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

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More John Henry third page
PBL site sample problems

• 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?

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John Henry, continued.

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

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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!

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The Problem-Based Learning Cycle
Overview
Problem, Project, or Assignment
Mini-lecture
Group Discussion
Whole Class Discussion
Research
Preparation of Group Product
Group Discussion
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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