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…

The purpose of this study is to describe and examine the structures and policies a public, comprehensive high school put in place to implement problem-based learning (PBL) across content areas. Starting in 2010, the school implemented PBL in the hopes of increasing students' career and college readiness skills. The research took place at a…

This paper outlines some preliminary findings from a one-year problem-based learning (PBL) intervention in a Taiwanese elementary mathematics classroom. PBL stands within the philosophy of social constructivism, which emphasises that learning is a social process, not a product. In general, it involves three main characteristics. The first is that…

Video games and problem-based learning (PBL) are both significant trends in progressive approaches to education. The literature demonstrates a fit between the two approaches, indicating they may be mutually beneficial. With limited literature on implementing games in the classroom, and a growing body of researchers highlighting the importance of…

A surge in the amount of information in the discipline of Cell Biology presents a problem to the teaching of undergraduates under time constraints. In most textbooks and during lectures, students in Singapore are often taught in a dogmatic manner where concepts and ideas are expounded to them. The students in turn passively receive the materials…

The task-centered instructional strategy (Merrill, 2009) was designed specifically for the purpose of teaching complex problem-solving skills and emphasizes teaching in the context of a concrete real world task. Nevertheless, unlike other problem-centered instructional methods (e.g., constructivism) the task-centered instructional strategy is a…

This paper introduces a problem-based learning (PBL) microprocessor application course designed according to the following strategies: 1) hands-on training without having a formal laboratory, and 2) intense student-centered cooperative learning through an ill-structured problem. PBL was adopted as the core educational technique of the course to…

For many children, summertime is free time. For parents, summer often means searching for structured learning opportunities for their children. For teachers, summer can mean heading back to school for professional development. The elementary science institute for teachers that the authors conduct includes a summer science camp for children. Last…

Concepts from disciplines such as Biochemistry, Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology are essential to the understanding and treatment of an elevated number of illnesses, but often they are studied separately, with no integration between them. This article proposes a model for basic sciences integration based on problem-based learning (PBL) and…

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) sponsored professional development of educators in the NASA Summer of Innovation (SOI) program. The Idaho, Montana, and Utah (IMU-SOI) program worked with educators and students from thirteen Native American communities. The summer sessions were focused on problem based learning and…

Effective public policy education must prepare students both to integrate the lessons of multiple disciplines and to apply these across diverse substantive areas. How can these objectives best be accomplished? Research on adult learning and professional education points toward applied, problem-based, cooperative, and student-driven pedagogy. This…

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…

This article presents the development of a small-world network using an adapted version of the large-group problem-solving method "Future Search." Two management classes in a higher education setting were selected and required to plan a project. The students completed a survey focused on the frequency of communications before and after…

Donnelly, Idaho, is a small town surrounded by private ranches and Forest Service property. Through the center of Donnelly runs Boulder Creek, a small tributary feeding into Cascade Lake Reservoir. Boulder Creek originates from a mountain lake north of Donnelly. Since 1994 it has been listed as "impaired" by the Environmental Protection…

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…