Optimization is a vital mathematical concept widely applied in various engineering fields. However, teaching this subject to engineering students often involves abstract materials, making it challenging for them to grasp. To address this issue, a group of five mathematics lecturers collaborated on designing a practical lesson on optimization for…

We develop a single-class period learning game for the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) improvement cycle. The experiential activity walks teams through the PDSA problem-solving process as they create paper American footballs and improve their performance using each step of the cycle. The game is one of the first to focus on PDSA. Key benefits include…

Uncertain and ambiguous environments are commonplace in information systems development (ISD) projects, and while different Agile frameworks welcome changes in organizational, technical, and business environments, the incurred uncertainty is known to negatively affect the development process and the quality of the final product. The effects of…

This article presents a new contract negotiation and drafting exercise designed for undergraduate and graduate business students in a business law or legal environment of business survey course. Structured as an asset purchase and sale agreement involving a small business with intangible social media and intellectual property assets in a…

Technology-rich learning environments (TREs) provide opportunities for learners to engage in complex interactions involving a multitude of cognitive, metacognitive, and affective states. Understanding learners' distinct learning progressions in TREs demand inquiry approaches that employ well-conceived theoretical accounts of these multiple facets.…

A Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology was used in the practical laboratories of the Advanced Physical Chemistry department. The project type proposed simulates "real research" focusing on sol-gel synthesis and the application of the obtained sol as a stone consolidant. Students were divided into small groups (2 to 3 students) to…

Although the characteristics of PBL (problem focused, student centered, self-directed, etc.) are well known, the components of a problem-based learning environment (PBLE) and the cognitive scaffolds necessary to support learning to solve different kinds of problems with different learners is less clear. This paper identifies the different…

Problem-based learning focuses on small groups using authentic problems as a means to help participants obtain knowledge and problem-solving skills. This approach makes problem-based learning ideal for teaching lean manufacturing, which is driven by a culture of problem solving that values learning as one key output of manufacturing production.…

This study investigated whether using multimedia-based instructional material in a problem-based social studies simulation enhances student learning about world issues, increases interest in social studies, and generates positive attitudes toward the instruction. The GlobalEd Project, a Web-based international negotiation simulation embedded in…

This study investigated the collaborative decision-making and communicative discourse of groups of learners engaged in a simulated medical emergency in two conditions. In one condition subgroups used a traditional whiteboard (TW group) to document medical arguments on how to solve a medical emergency. In the other condition subgroups used…

Problem-based learning experiences that extend at least two weeks provide an opportunity for students to investigate a real-world problem while learning science content and skills in an exciting way. In this article, students are challenged by the president of the United States to serve as employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to…

This article argues that the merger of simulations and problem-based learning (PBL) can enhance both active-learning strategies. Simulations benefit by using a PBL framework to promote student-directed learning and problem-solving skills to explain a simulated dilemma with multiple solutions. PBL benefits because simulations structure the…

The paper addresses application of new educational technologies to dental education. Noted is technology's ability to create an electronic curriculum that uses images and text to advance problem-solving and problem-based learning. Information technology provides a risk-free (i.e., patient-free) environment for dental students to test decisions.…

A series of simulated patient experiences were presented to two groups of five students concurrently with a regularly scheduled integrated course in neuroscience. Results showed increased motivation, problem solving, and self-study skills in the experimental groups as compared to the control groups, which were also enrolled in the neuroscience…

This article describes "Thinking Actively in a Social Context," a multiphase model to assist in the development of problem-solving courses based on student needs and experiences. An example of such an interdisciplinary course (simulating a new settlement on another planet) for high ability children in grades five, six, and seven is detailed. (DB)