The professoriate must produce graduates who demonstrate better critical thinking and teamwork skills. More specifically, college graduates appear to know a good deal, but are "unable to apply this knowledge in any useful or practical way." The challenge is to "train students to find new ways of dealing with issues and solving problems."…

This article is about enhancing critical thinking as a crucial aspect of the competence citizens need to participate in society. First empirical research into the question which instructional strategies are "effective" in enhancing critical thinking is reviewed. Characteristics of instruction that are assumed to enhance critical thinking are:…

This article empirically validates an existing content analysis scheme and addresses a main concern of researchers about text-based, online transcripts in the form of code-recoding by mapping our scheme to the practical inquiry, cognitive presence model's five phases directly to realise higher-order thinking or critical thinking aspects for our…

The George Lucas Educational Foundation began in 1991 with an ambitious mission: to demonstrate how innovative learning environments in classrooms, supported by powerful new technologies, could revolutionize learning. As an organization founded by George Lucas, its members believed that the same benefits of technology that were transforming…

Argues that the discipline of geography needs to be transformed from a declarative enterprise based on facts to a problem-based enterprise, particularly in light of the shrinking world community. Describes the ways in which a geography instructor addressed the problem-based learning struggle between process and content. (Contains 23 references.)…

The combination of students, local history, researching, and problem-based learning creates a powerful opportunity for learning to all involved. This article provides one example of how an elementary teacher and a teacher educator have used local resources and problem-based learning to teach a fourth grade unit about human communities and the…

In traditional science teaching, teachers expect the average student to implicitly learn and apply subtle concepts and to connect seemingly disjointed information. Teachers expect them to actively assemble the building blocks of critical thinking, often without example (Meyers 1986). The critical analysis of issues and problems is second nature to…

Argues that problem-based learning (PBL) shows students that the best scientists are not those who memorize facts, but rather those who apply facts in a creative manner. Explains that the author, who incorporated group learning into a general education science course, found that PBL led to increased class attendance and participation. (Contains…

Describes the results of an assessment of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Initiative at Samford University in Alabama. States that surveys were sent to faculty and students in PBL and non-PBL courses. Reports that PBL students were more likely than non-PBL students to agree with positive statements regarding educational outcomes. (NB)

Examines features of an inquiry-based learning community. Discusses the five critical elements of a program developed to promote a community of inquiry, called Fostering a Community of Learners (FCL) (Brown, 1994, 1997). Discusses applying technology and describes two findings related to the development of communities of learning. (AEF)

Outlines a plan of action designed to enhance growth in problem-posing skills. The "blueprint" provides a model for teachers and teacher educators who wish to integrate more problem posing into their curriculum. Specific activities and instructional strategies are cited to illustrate the development of problem posing as a process in the classroom.…

In recent years, Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been applied in medical and psychological areas of professional education. The PBL approach requires students to move past traditional choreographic methods toward making dances informed by real-world issues. In PBL, students work cooperatively to solve complex problems. Rather than being presented…

Northern Ireland has invested heavily in the use of technology enhanced learning at all levels of education. Alongside this, radical changes to the school curriculum and the planned move away from academic selection towards a more inclusive system are challenging those involved in Initial Teacher Education to find ways to improve teaching and…

The aim of this study was to compare the achievement of prospective primary science teachers in a problem-based curriculum with those in a conventional primary science teacher preparation program with regard to success in learning about gases and developing positive attitudes towards chemistry. The subjects of the study were 101 first year…

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach in a physical chemistry laboratory course. The parameters investigated were students' attitudes towards a chemistry laboratory course, scientific process skills of students and their academic achievement. The design of the study was one group…