In problem-based learning (PBL), the role of a tutor or facilitator is different from what is typically considered as the role of a traditional teacher. In addition to being a subject-matter expert, the facilitator is also expected to be "socially" and "cognitively congruent". In this study, we analyze the survey responses from…

The twofold purpose of this study is to identify engineering students' perceptions of a problem-based learning environment and to analyse the influence of their personal "situation," general "interest" in engineering and "ability" to succeed on their perception, after they were exposed to PBL for the first time. Based…

Raising academic standards has been part of the education policy discourse for decades. As early as the 1990s, states and school districts attempted to raise student achievement by developing higher standards and measuring student progress according to more rigorous benchmarks. However, the caliber of the standards--and their assessments--varied…

This paper reports the findings of research into an educational intervention featuring open-ended mathematical problems situated in "real life" contexts and associated pedagogies. "Money and financial mathematics" is the topic in focus, with tasks termed "financial dilemmas" being trialled by 35 teachers in 16…

With 95% of students with disabilities receiving instruction in general education settings for some portion of the school day (U.S. Department of Education, 2012), educating students with disabilities has become an important dimension in the improvement of schools in the United States. Recent federal policies, including the Individuals With…

This study investigates the effect of "preactional self-regulation" on the quality of problem solving. The experimental study was realized in a problem-based self-regulated learning environment. Data of 78 participants on externalized mental models, re-representing the problem solutions, were collected. A computer-based analysis tool was…

A concept map is a graphical tool to activate and elaborate on prior knowledge, to support problem solving, promote conceptual thinking and understanding, and to organize and memorize knowledge. The aim of this study is to determine if the use of concept mapping (CM) in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum enhances the PBL process. The paper…

A series of qualitative analysis (QA) laboratory experiments utilizing a problem-based learning (PBL) module has been designed and implemented. The module guided students through the experiments under the guise of cleaning up a potentially contaminated water site as employees of an environmental chemistry laboratory. The main goal was the…

This research investigates the effect of classroom explicitation of initial conceptions (CEIC) on conceptual change in the context of learning electricity. Eight hundred and seventy five thirteen year-olds were tested in laboratory conditions to see if CEIC is or is not a productive step toward conceptual change. All students experienced a…

Understanding of the nature of science is key to the development of new curricular materials that mirror the practice of science. Three problem types (project level, synthetic planning, and day-to-day) in synthetic organic chemistry emerged during a thematic content analysis of the research experiences of eight practising synthetic organic…

Science teachers are often content to leave creativity to the arts and humanities classes. Fostering creativity in science, if attempted at all, is a challenge often relegated to the gifted classroom. But not just the privileged few have the capacity to be creative. Simply restructuring existing lessons can help promote creativity in all science…

Guided by the Next Generation Science Standards and elements of problem-based learning, four human-environment systems simulations are described in brief--carbon, energy, water, and watershed--and a fifth simulation on nitrogen is described in more depth. These science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education simulations illustrate…

In order to respond to the ever-changing global economic environment, the technological and vocational education system in Taiwan needs to be dramatically reformed to the changing needs of the domestic industrial structure. Integrating practical talents with practical industrial experiences and competences can help avoid discrepancy and close the…

In this article we present and discuss the process of developing and implementing a PBL-based course entitled Moving Images in Teaching and Learning that was held at the University of Lapland, Finland. In the course of the project, this fairly traditional face-to-face course was redesigned into a blended PBL course by integrating Web 2.0…

Although teamwork has been identified as an essential skill for Computer Science (CS) graduates, these skills are identified as lacking by industry employers, which suggests a need for more proactive measures to teach and assess teamwork. In one CS course, students worked in teams to create a wiki solution to problem-based questions. Through a…