This study examined the effect of a computer-enhanced problem-based learning (PBL) environment on middle school students' learning, investigating the relationship among students' self-efficacy, attitude toward science, and achievement. As Bandura defined it (1986), self-efficacy refers to the beliefs people have about whether or not they can…

This paper proposes that problem-based learning (PBL) can serve as a cognitive apprenticeship in administrator-preparation programs. The paper presents an overview of PBL and its application in the administrator-preparation program at the University of Connecticut. The initial training in group processing for students enrolled in the program is…

When the University of Georgia's Department of Educational Leadership was formed from the merger of two earlier departments, the new entity developed an innovative doctoral program in educational leadership that incorporated principles of problem-based and student-based learning. The program was designed to promote the values, knowledge, and…

Since the 1950s some educational researchers have argued for a strong focus on problem solving in administrator-preparation programs. This paper discusses two types of problem-based learning (PBL)--simulated and authentic. It discusses various PBL concepts and presents two vignettes used during the 1995 and 1996 academic years at the University of…

The Collaborative Learning Laboratory (CCL) is a technology-enriched environment for the support of collaborative learning activities. Networking, multimedia, and other computer facilities combine to augment Problem-Based Learning, a collective and student-centered method of instruction that has been used in professional education and is being…

This is a step-by-step guide to designing problem-based learning across the curriculum. Contents show teachers how to develop student-centered, problem-based curriculum, manage student projects across a range of subjects and disciplines, assess projects using portfolios, and involve community members as project mentors. Numerous examples are…

A method was developed for assessing the extent to which a test reflects the topics addressed in the problems presented in a problem-based learning environment (curriculum validity). The intended curriculum for a unit from the second year of medical school at the University of Limburg in Maastricht (Netherlands) was analyzed, and an 132-item topic…

This study investigated the perception of university teachers regarding what critical thinking skills are needed for successful undergraduate study, and determined the relative importance of these skills within and across academic disciplines. A total of 31 university teachers in 6 academic disciplines of Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences,…

A student perceptions measure of college and university classroom learning environment was developed to reflect the dynamic interplay among contextual variables and accommodates theoretical and practical applications in light of logistical concerns found in such complicated educational settings as a medical school. The 18-item Teaching and…

Fifteen studies comparing various educational outcomes of problem-based, community-oriented medical curricula with those of conventional programs are reviewed. The problems inherent in comparative research at the curriculum level are discussed. (MSE)

NAWeb 2001, the International North America Web-Based Learning Conference, focused on innovative and practical uses of the World Wide Web in teaching and learning. This proceedings contains the following papers: (1) "Roles of Parties Involved in Distance Learning" (Ahlam Al-Bassam, Peter Neubert, Ali Al-Shammari); (2) "The World…

Problem-based learning (PBL) has great potential for inspiring K-12 learning. KaAMS, a NASA funded project and an example of PBL, was designed to help teachers inspire middle school students to learn science. The students participate as scientists investigating environmental problems using NASA airborne remote sensing data. Two PBL modules were…

The NASA SCI Files is a series of instructional programs consisting of broadcast, print, and online elements emphasizing standards-based instruction, problem-based learning, and science as inquiry. The series seeks to motivate students in grades 3-5 to become critical thinkers and active problem solvers. In this program, the tree house detectives…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching technique that educates by presenting students with a situation that leads to a problem for them to solve. Rather than finding a single correct answer, students interpret the question, gather additional information, create possible solutions, evaluate options, and present conclusions. This book shows…

The problem-solving approach to teaching and learning has proved especially useful in vocational education as a way to relate classroom learning to real-life situations or problems. The problem-solving method of teaching places the responsibility for learning on students. Educators and special reform groups in other subject areas refer to a…