Field experiences are a fundamental and well-loved tool for teaching in the natural sciences. However, a number of concerns threaten continued incorporation of field experiences into courses, including increased class sizes, strained finances, legal liability, accessibility concerns, and the effects of COVID-19. Because of these barriers, it is…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a type of active learning modality involving a student-centered approach that encompasses small group settings in order to promote learning via critical thinking and discussion as opposed to via direct presentation of facts and concepts. Through PBL, students engage actively in their learning. Facilitated PBL…

This paper provides insights into an initiative that offers graduate and professional students from across the University of Michigan the opportunity to participate in multi-disciplinary, problem-based classes that foster creative thinking, teamwork, and development of transferrable skills. The paper describes how, in order to improve student…

Capstones in professional masters-level programs serve a unique nexus of developing professional, industry-specific competencies within a graduate-level academic setting. Universities offering such degree programs must demonstrate the benefits of an academic approach to working professionals, while focusing on the development or enhancement of a…

Despite the prevalence of adult skills-based learning, adult education researchers continue to ignore effective interdisciplinary skills-based methods. Prominent researchers dismiss empirically supported teaching guidelines, preferring situational, emancipatory methods with no demonstrable effect on skilled performance or reproducible expertise.…

Experiential learning has the potential to enhance students' success and prepare them for the job market, including through class experiences that mirror experiences in the workforce. In this article, I lay out the process of incorporating experiential learning in a global health course. I have derived three key lessons from the design and…

A number of researchers and educators have proposed educational methods over the years designed to improve our focus on students, their quality of learning, and experiences through academic and personal development. With a concern for moving forward, some of the more classical methods have been abandoned for the sake of progress, technology, and…

Problem based learning (PBL) has been used in dental education over the past 20 years and uses a patient case scenario to stimulate learning in a small group setting, where a trained facilitator does not teach but guides the group to bring about deep contextualized learning, to be empathetic to each other and to encourage fair and equitable…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development, implementation and outcome of a field-based learning flow-charting project that was conducted in an accounting information systems (AIS) course. The emphasis for the project was strengthening the students' critical thinking skills. This paper advances AIS education by sharing a field-based…

This paper is based on the deliberations of the Assessment Working Group at EDUsummIT 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. All of the members of Thematic Working Group 5 (TWG5) have contributed to this synthesis of potentials, concerns and issues with regard to the role of technology in assessment as, for and of learning in the 21st century. The group…

This paper describes the introduction of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) into a final-year option module in psychology. The background and rationale for the changes introduced are discussed and the experience of PBL is considered from the point of view of tutor and students. The introduction of PBL considerably increased student attainment in the…

Development of skills in bioscience undergraduates is seen as desirable by academic staff, students and employers, and this is reflected across most degree programmes. However, providing the opportunity for students to practise skills may alone be insufficient for their development. With an evident discrepancy between the skills expected of…

This paper examines the challenge of teaching statistical research methods in three master's degree programs at a private university based in Washington, DC. We, as three professors teaching at this university, discuss the way we employ innovative approaches to deal with this challenge. We ground our discussion within the theoretical framework of…

Due to the student-centered nature of problem-based learning (PBL) and project-based science (PBS), it is easy for teachers "not" to provide students with adequate feedback or enough support to promote critical thinking. However, research has shown that PBL and PBS are most effective when appropriate learning goals are defined, embedded supports…

This article describes a cooperative project between eighth graders and first graders called "Going Green in the Neighborhood." The project entailed the first grade students sketching home designs on paper to make a model community, and the eighth grade students taking those drawings and making them into 3D computer models and then…