Recent advances in teaching, many of which incorporate elements of active learning, seek to provide students with learning experiences indicative of real-world problem solving. Problem-based learning (PBL) is one form of active learning that challenges students to address open-ended problems. In this work, we evaluate the efficacy of PBL in…

The aims of university System Dynamics (SD) programs include the mastery of systems thinking skills, modeling skills, and/or application to solving real-world, dynamic, complex problems. Existing research has articulated learning sequences of what learners should know and be able to do, and when. It is called the competence development framework…

Students must develop higher order cognitive skills (HOCS) that allow them to think critically and use their learning in novel situations. However, little is known about how including HOCS in teaching and assessment affects students' perception of learning. We combine quantitative and qualitative data to determine whether the inclusion of HOCS and…

Fostering metacognition can be challenging within large enrollment settings, particularly within STEM fields concentrating on problem-solving skills and their underlying theories. Herein, the research problem of realizing more frequent, insightful, and explicitly-rewarded metacognition activities at significant scale is investigated via a strategy…

This paper looks at and assesses the development and implementation of a problem solving and creativity class for the purpose of providing a basis for a Business Informatics curriculum. The development was fueled by the desire to create a broad based class that 1. Familiarized students to the underlying concepts of problem solving; 2. Introduced…

This study presents an analysis of self-reported student perceptions and experiences of authenticity during an undergraduate first-year problem-based learning (PBL) engineering module at UCL. The aim is to further understand how students perceive authentic learning experiences in order to support and maximise this kind of learning throughout their…

In disciplines requiring high technological intensity the success of e-learning can be hampered by a lack of pedagogical support for the intended outcomes. The design of learning activities through mediating tools (MTs) moderates this difficulty, allowing the adaptation of instructional designs so they are pedagogically appropriate to the learning…

Institutional assessment of student learning objectives has become a fact-of-life in American higher education and the Association of American Colleges and Universities' (AAC&U) VALUE Rubrics have become a widely adopted evaluation and scoring tool for student work. As faculty from a variety of disciplines, some less familiar with the…

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the learning cycle-5 Es model "Bybee" in the development of problem-solving skills and academic achievement in Geography subject in the ninth graders in Jordan. The study consists of 60 students from the University Education Directorate in Amman in the second semester for the…

Faculty of Medicine UGM has implemented Problem Based Learning (PBL) since 1985. Seven jump tutorial discussions are applied. A scenario is used as a trigger to stimulate students to identify learning objectives (LOs) in step five which are used as the basis for self study in step six. For each scenario, the Block Team formulates the LOs which are…

In a typical chemistry instrumentation laboratory, students learn analytical techniques through a well-developed procedure. Such an approach, however, does not engage students in a creative endeavor. To foster the intrinsic motivation of students' desire to learn, improve their confidence in self-directed learning activities and enhance their…

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of art represent an attractive way to introduce undergraduate students to concepts in nanoscience, vibrational spectroscopy, and instrumental analysis. Here, we present an undergraduate analytical or physical chemistry laboratory wherein a combination of normal Raman and SERS spectroscopy is used to…

This case study involves the role of the kidneys in regulating blood pH and electrolytes. The case was used near the end of a two-semester Human Anatomy and Physiology course sequence, during the time when renal physiology was under study. Groups of two to three students were given the case and associated information (lab values, etc.). Students…

A good assessment plan combines many direct and indirect measures to validate the collected data. One often controversial assessment measure comes in the form of retention exams. Although assessment retention exams may come with faults, others advocate for their inclusion in program assessment. Objective-based tests may offer insight to…

The methodology used in this study was action-research and the considered activity is been applied successfully for at least five years to undergraduate and to master classes for Industrial Engineering students in Brazil. It showed a significant result in both cases, providing the basis for the deepening in the subject in further lessons.…