Raman spectroscopy, a powerful vibrational spectroscopic technique widely used in chemistry, materials science, and environmental analysis, provides critical molecular insights through spectral fingerprints. However, undergraduate students often lack proficiency in optimizing experimental parameters, interpreting vibrational modes, and applying…

In this article, I present selected extracts and formulations from John Dewey's seminal book "Democracy and Education" (1916) that speak to the question of the educational purpose of PBL. Dewey's work, and in particular this book, is in many ways foundational in regard to arguing for PBL as an educational approach. However, in…

In recent years, the emphasis on computational thinking (CT) has intensified as an effect of accelerated digitalisation. While most researchers are concentrating on defining CT and developing tools for its instruction and assessment, we focus on the characteristics of computational thinking problems (CTPs) -- activities requiring CT to be…

What Illeris' "Problem orientation and participant direction -- A proposal for alternative didactics" (1974) signified for Roskilde University, Eva Hultengren's "Problem orientation, project work and report writing" (1976) signified for Aalborg University. Both books were soon published in a second edition, but only Hultengren…

A university's mission and vision statements guide its strategic planning process. This ensures that the institutional goals are met, and the institution's identity and purpose are fostered and preserved. However, the challenge lies in translating these broad, often aspirational, statements into actionable and measurable objectives at the…

Over the past century, health knowledge has advanced dramatically, so it is expected that future health professionals will need to learn effectively in the workplace and adapt to novel situations that cannot yet be predicted. Simultaneously, the demographics of university students have changed significantly in regard to age, gender, and…

This open access book maps the role of challenge-based learning (CBL) in the transformation of higher education pedagogy, towards being sector-informed as well as student-driven. CBL democratises the process of learning by repositioning students as drivers, who are empowered to make decisions on course content, assess needs in the real world and…

This article introduces work originating from the area of Networked Learning that seeks to problematise and critically discuss notions such as 'collaboration', 'community', and 'participation'. It argues that there is a dark and shadowy side to these ideals, which we need to attend to in a reflexive manner. To this end, it introduces ideas of…

Novice nurses often report a disconnect between textbook knowledge and realworld practice which damages their confidence in providing clinical care to patients. Nursing students indeed encounter numerous challenges in clinical environments such as inadequate resources and a gap between learning theory and clinical practice. To close the…

While the benefits of experiential learning are well established throughout management and business courses, they are used less often when teaching strategic management. Yet, many concepts in strategy, such as the value chain, are difficult for students to understand. The abstract nature of these topics, coupled with the limited real-life exposure…

This paper reflects on a slow re-reading of Maggi Savin-Baden's "Impact of Transdisciplinary Threshold Concepts on Student Engagement in Problem-Based Learning" and its relation to the author's experiences as a teacher and curriculum developer in Techno-Anthropology at Aalborg University. It explores four transdisciplinary threshold…

This reflection provides an introduction to, and reflection on, the new text "Rethinking Problem-based Learning for the Digital Age" (Savin-Baden and Fraser, 2024). It begins by telling the story and rationale for the creation of the book and then provides an overview of the text of the whole. The next section discusses the purpose of…

METRICS was a 5-year grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Education designed to immerse elementary school students in computer science. METRICS components included 1) creation and implementation of rigorous computer science curriculum units and assessments to support STEM coursework connected across all subjects through problem-based…

This open access volume explores the transformative role of Research Cognitive Theory (RCT) in education, emphasizing its application in fostering curiosity, creativity, innovation, problem-solving skills, and cognitive development across all educational levels in students and professional development in teachers. Through detailed discussions on…

Transitioning from K-12 to college poses significant challenges due to the shift from guided learning to self-directed engagement. Traditional pedagogies such as inquiry-based learning and flipped classrooms have not fully resolved issues like poor retention and low graduation rates in STEM fields, which are critical for economic growth and…