Learning Excellence At Delaware

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• Learning Excellence At Delaware

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Pew Charitable Trusts Grant
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Problem-Based Learning Models for the College
Classroom will address the following critical
questions

• How well do students learn in problem-based
  learning (PBL) courses?
• What do students think about their PBL
  experiences?
• Does PBL have more global effects on students
  beyond content learning?
• What are the key experiences from the facultys
  perspective relating to PBL?
• What effects does using a PBL approach have on
  the broader curriculum?
• What are the key institutional issues concerning
  PBL?
• How well are the results of the project
  disseminated?

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Major Research Questions

• What do students think about their PBL
  experiences?
• Course evaluations
• Tracking student comments via focus groups
• Internships/practicum/research experience and PBL
• Alumni Surveys
• Does PBL have more global effects on students
  beyond content learning?
• Longitudinal Assessment of Cognitive Development
• What are the key experiences from the facultys
  perspective relating to PBL?
• Document numbers of faculty using PBL or other AL

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1998-1999 Pilot Study

• Fall 1998 data received from 138 students
• Administered
• Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal(WGCTA)
• NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)
• Reasoning about Current Issues (RCI)
• Spring, 1999 Faculty Instructional Survey
  completed
• Much qualitative data through G. Bauer

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Correlations - Fall 1998
Preliminary data removed
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Significant Correlations (p0.05) Fall 1998 cohort
Preliminary data removed
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UD Instructional Survey - Spring 1999

• To establish baseline measures of PBL and other
  instructional strategies being used
• To examine breadth of technology being used
• Mailed to 942 full-time faculty on Newark campus
• 236 faculty returned 538 surveys

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Valid Responses to Faculty Instructional Survey -
Part I (N236)

• Are you assisted in this course by a TA? 31
  Yes 69 No 5 Missing
• II. Instructional Strategies Used
• Do you use problem-based learning in your
  class? 54 Yes 46 No 11 Missing
• Do you use other forms of active learning
  strategies in your class? 87 Yes 13 No
  9 Missing
• Rarely or Often
  or
• Never Sometimes Very Often
• Informal groups (students collaborate with other
  students sitting near them during
  class) 25 36 38
• Rotating groups (students reform groups several
  times a semester) 50 31 19
• Permanent groups (students stay in same group
  throughout the semester) 46 21 33
• Whole class discussion combined with group
  work 22 29 49
• Mini-lectures combined with group-based
  activity 29 39 32
• Student (in groups) work on problems or case
  studies 24 36 40
• Student assignments based on group activities
  (write-ups, presentations, etc.) 31 30 40
• Undergraduate or graduate peer tutors used in
  class to facilitate group work 79 11 10
• Traditional lecture (instructor lectures while
  students listen and take notes) 15 40 45

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Valid Responses to Faculty Instructional Survey -
Part II (N236)

• Rarely or Often or
• Never Sometimes Very Often
• Class syllabus posted on the web 57 6 37
• Grade book posted on the web 94 3 3
• Post previous term assignments on web 79
  8 13
• Assignment which involved creation of web
  page(s) 87 8 5
• Newsgroups 87 7 6
• Class e-mail lists 24 21 57
• Assignments that involve accessing evaluating
  web sites 50 31 19
• On-line quiz 93 6 1
• Anonymous suggestion or question box
  (web-based) 91 5 4
• Discipline-specific software mutimedia (e.g.,
  CDs) 60 20 20
• Video, films, slides 27 31 42
• Electronic Library Reserve 74 15 11
• Computer simulations 69 19 12
• Presentation software (e.g. PODIUM,
  PowerPoint) 63 19 19
• SERF (9
  Missing) 96 2 2

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Longitudinal Study of Cognitive DevelopmentFall
1999 - Spring 2001 Cohort

• Freshmen and juniors in Biology and Political
  Science/IR identified as target population
• KBauer met with freshmen, sent co-signed letter
  to juniors asking them to participate
• Questionnaires completed in BIOL207 labs or
  survey sessions in Trabant University Center
• Completed and usable data received from 259
  students

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Fall 1999 - 259 Students
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Fall 1999 Profile(N259)

• Mean Math SAT Score 599
• Mean Verbal SAT Score 600
• Mean Composite SAT Score 1,198
• Mean PGI 2.90

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Plans for 1999-2001