Almost fifty years ago, Barrows (1986) claimed that problem-based learning (PBL) was broad enough that a single methodological description was not possible. It has only grown more complex since. In addition to meaningful variations of PBL, there are several related problem-centered pedagogies, such as case-based learning, project-based learning,…

In outcome based education (OBE), curriculum design with industry involvement is most recommended approach which enables relevant execution of teaching learning process. Globally, acceptance of OBE is increasing since four decades. This article investigates the OBE curriculum design by adding Value-Added Courses (VACs) which are endorsed and…

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) is helping to facilitate tribal colleges' role as a link between Native communities and national and global scientific resources. AIHEC's STEM initiatives are in the early stages of what is a long-term effort to respond to the rapid acceleration of emerging challenges and opportunities that…

The article elaborates upon a successful model of postgraduate studies on lean manufacturing. The subject of the research was nine editions of the Kaizen Academy postgraduate studies organized by the Warsaw University of Technology and the Kaizen Institute in the years 2009-2018, that still enjoys interest in the market. A detailed qualitative…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse which are the active learning methodologies, which had better contribute to acquiring competences for sustainable development (SD) in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: Cluster analysis is used to define 252 students' skills patterns and their perception of the different active learning…

User Experience Design (UXD) is an often-neglected area of the information systems (IS) curriculum. UXD classes specifically designed for IS students are still uncommon in IS programs and this study aims to add to the body of knowledge to prepare a more well-rounded future generation of IS professionals. With this goal in mind, this study…

The urgency of the current climate crisis emphasizes the need for university graduates equipped with relevant knowledge and skills to tackle environmental and social problems such as material consumption, environmental degradation and inequality at all spatial scales. Geographic and spatially sensitive concepts and approaches to sustainability and…

This article describes the creation of a First Year Experience learning community in a teacher education program. The First Year Experience model was adopted by the university because of declining enrollment, retention, and graduation rates and has been generally successful in the education department. With little information available for teacher…

Higher education institutions are using virtual telepresence systems to engage in collaborative course redesign and research projects. These systems hold promise and challenge for inter-institutional work in STEM areas. This paper describes a case study involving two universities in the 4-VA consortium, and the redesign of a shared STEM lab. The…

Pre-service teachers typically find it challenging to implement cooperative learning authentically in schools given the complexities of classroom environments. Curriculum integration also is demanding because it requires combining research-informed pedagogies and best practices to promote academic and social learning. This article describes how…

Legal reasoning is a type of problem solving, and is situated within thinking skills, one of the six threshold learning outcomes established under the auspices of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council's Bachelor of Laws Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Statement. The threshold learning outcomes define what law graduates are…

Management of "wicked problems", messy real-world problems that defy resolution, requires thinkers who can transcend disciplinary boundaries, work collaboratively, and handle complexity and obstacles. This paper explores how educators can train undergraduates in these skills through applied community-based research, using the example of…

The purpose of this study was to determine the methods of experiential assessment in use at a Canadian university and the extent to which they are used. Exploring experiential assessment will allow identification of commonly used methods and facilitate the development of best practices of assessment in the context of experiential learning (EL) at…

John R. Savery is Professor of Education and Director of Instructional Services at the University of Akron. His research and teaching interests focus on problem-based learning and technology-rich learning environments. As Director he supports faculty integration of instructional technology across the spectrum, from traditional classrooms to…

In an introductory chemical engineering course, the conceptual framework of a holistic problem-solving methodology in conjunction with a problem-based learning approach has been shown to create a learning environment that nurtures deep learning rather than surface learning. Based on exam scores, student grades are either the same or better than…