This article critically examines "Laura's Story: Using Problem-Based Learning in Early Childhood and Primary Teacher Education" by Suzy Edwards and Marie Hammer (2006), highlighting its significant impact on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) research. This seminal work is distinguished by its practical focus on teacher education, using the…

This study aims to understand the ways in which problem-based teaching in a mathematics content course can alleviate pre-service elementary school teachers' mathematics anxiety. The significance of this work is to help increase the content and pedagogical knowledge of mathematics education, as outlined in STEM policies. Using a mixed method…

The quality of educational work is inextricably linked to many factors at the system, school, teacher, and student levels. This research was carried out within the project 'Education of Teachers as a Factor of Providing High-quality Life-long Learning in the Learning Society/The Society of Fast Socio-economic Changes and Unsure Future', funded by…

Problem-based learning (PBL) and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are two acronyms widely visible in education literature today. However, few studies have explored these in connection with one another, specifically with regard to teacher preparation. This study investigated how 47 prospective elementary teachers developed…

In this proposal, we share research that explores the potential benefits of a novel Making experience within mathematics teacher preparation that we hypothesized would inform the pedagogical and curricular thinking of prospective teachers of elementary mathematics (PMTs). That experience had PMTs exploring at the intersection of content, pedagogy,…

In this paper we present data from one-on-one interviews conducted with students who have taken intermediate and advanced inquiry-based mathematics courses in a program that prepares future preK-8 teachers. Many of these students entered college with a fear of math, but then gained confidence from a required introductory math course and chose to…

The aim of this study was to investigate the pre-service teachers' perceptions into learning primary school science using the method of Problem Based Learning (PBL). This learning strategy has been introduced into the B.Ed. programme at the University of Trinidad and Tobago for pre-service teachers who are expected to implement it in their…

The purpose of this study was to identify the role that Costa Rican educational leaders play in implementing the National Program of Science and Technology Fairs (Programa Nacional de Ferias de Ciencia y Tecnologia [PRONAFECYT]) initiative. The study provides an examination of leadership practices, instructional strategies, and professional…

To examine the notion of environmental education (EE) as context for integrating the elementary curricula, we engaged in a multi-case study analysis (Yin 2009) of two preservice elementary science methods courses that utilized an experiential reflective approach--case one (University A) through a science content focus (i.e., sustainability) and…

We explore teachers' efforts to implement problem-based learning (PBL) in an elementary school serving predominantly English learners. Teachers had an opportunity to implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) using PBL in a summer school setting with no test-pressures. To understand the challenges and benefits of PBL implementation, a…

This study examines whether teachers are able to apply the principles of autonomy support and structure support in designing digital problem based learning (PBL) tasks. We examine whether these tasks are more autonomy- and structure-supportive and whether primary and secondary school students experience greater autonomy, competence, and motivation…

Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been used with increased frequency in Higher Education settings since first introduced by Barrows and Tamblyn during the 1980's. Since this time PBL has been used in medical, engineering and education faculties to support pre-service students in the acquisition of skills and content knowledge relevant to their…

This qualitative study examined the use of WebQuests as a teaching tool in problem-based elementary methods courses. We explored the potential of WebQuests to address three dilemmas faced in teacher education: (a) modeling instruction that is based on current learning theory and research-based practices, (b) providing preservice teachers with…