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…

Concept maps have been used successfully in science and mathematics education in a variety of settings. This paper describes the application of the metacognitive tool, concept mapping, to the development of an integrated veterinary curriculum, to the development of case-based exercises for problem-based learning, and as a learning tool for…

A proposal that calls for increasing the relevance of administrator preparation by applying a problem-based learning approach is offered in this paper. A review of literature on problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education concludes that, compared with traditional programs, PBL yields superior or equivalent results on a variety of outcome…

A promising recent development in tertiary education involves the application of problem-based learning as a curricular vehicle to develop student talent. Problem-based learning (PBL) is common in professional education, such as in medical, law, and business schools, and is becoming increasingly common in pre-college education. However, it is less…

Increasingly, teachers are connecting with people in the community as part of their professional development. Community organizations provide opportunities for teachers to gain a new perspective on what students need to know to be prepared for a global economy. In addition, experiences in the community can help teachers develop integrated…

Self-regulated learning with authentic and complex problems requires that learners observe their own learning and use additional information when appropriate (e.g., hypertextual information in computer-supported learning environments). Research indicates that learners in problem-based environments often have difficulties using additional…

Discusses experiences with the use of problem-based learning as applied to knowledge-rich biochemistry courses. Concludes that problem-based learning is not only effective in promoting habits of mind that support higher order thinking but also a powerful vehicle for conveying knowledge by imparting separate bits of knowledge as interconnected…

Discusses problem-based learning and describes a study at Hong Kong Polytechnic University that compared learning issues generated by students with the objectives set by teaching staff, and explored students' self-directed learning practice and the ability to search for information in meeting the learning objectives. (LRW)

Examined how four groups of education graduate students worked in a distributed online problem-based learning (PBL) environment using an asynchronous threaded discussion tool. Discusses student interaction; developing their own understanding; how students work with idea units; student communication; and the role of the instructor in designing and…

Discusses how information literacy efforts at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences have been supported by national trends within health science education to incorporate evidence-based medicine and problem-based learning into the curriculum. Describes effects on librarians, including requests for more instruction, creating…

Presents a study in which fourth-year Australian medical students were assigned to either a problem-based learning or case-based learning tutorial group that focused on eating disorders. Reports that there was not a significant difference between the two groups of students related to performance or acquired knowledge. Includes references. (CMK)

Describes a study that examined the potential of a hypermedia-based expert tool to scaffold regular education sixth graders engaged in a problem-based learning program. Topics include cognitive apprenticeship support for problem-based learning; using hypermedia to offer expert modeling; attitudes toward the learning environment; and self-directed…

Described is a study of second grade classes that participated in a year-long project in which instruction was generally compatible with a socioconstructivist theory of knowledge and recent recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Methods, results, and implications for mathematics instruction are discussed. (CW)

Presents perspectives from students and teachers about project work in mathematics. Presents a theoretical framework consisting of problem-centered studies, interdisciplinarity, participant-directed studies, and the exemplarity principle. Contrasts theoretical conceptions with practice. (MKR)