A strategy of problem solving in the teaching of gifted learners is explored as a possible way of differentiating the curriculum in order to optimize learning. The Teaching Actively in a Social Context Model (TASC) and Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model are cited as valuable teaching-learning programs. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Focuses on the implementation and evaluation of instructional strategies in a core science education methods course within a Bachelor of Education preservice program. Examines how a collaborative learning experience that incorporated components of problem based learning was implemented and how students reacted to and reflected upon this approach.…

Provides background information on the problem-based learning (PBL) model used in medical education that was adapted for high school economics. Describes the high school economics curriculum and outline the stages of the PBL model using examples from a unit called "The High School Food Court." Discusses the design considerations. (CMK)

In leadership academy for community college employees, teams used problem-based learning to build leadership skills while addressing community college problems. The program's success was attributed to proactiveness, responsiveness, constituent buy-in, and use of authentic problems and evaluation methods. (Contains 47 references.) (SK)

The use of problem-based learning in an Australian nursing education program was evaluated through interviews with 14 clinical teachers. They saw improvement in students' self-direction and holistic views of patients, but felt students lacked psychomotor skills and fundamental knowledge of anatomy and physiology. (SK)

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…

Reading Harry Potter aloud to the class one autumn sparked the students imaginations and also the authors'. As a result, that semester the author designed and taught a thematic unit based on Harry Potter. The students were able to identify with the 11-year old wizard and his adventures in a strange new world. In mathematics, language arts, and…

An observation at a problem-based learning, case-building meeting prompted the realization that building cases might itself be an effective educational intervention. We developed a process for a new continuing medical education technique that is peculiarly familiar that we call "build-a-case." Build-a-case has now been used for teaching and…

This case study involved year 9 students carrying out project work in biology via problem-based learning. The purpose of the study was to (a) find out how students approach and work through ill-structured problems, (b) identify some issues and challenges related to the use of such problems, and (c) offer some practical suggestions on the…

We now have pedagogical methods that can be successful--that is, effective--with most students at the undergraduate stage; one very promising method is problem-based or inquiry-based learning. (Contains 4 notes.)

This article tells the story of the design of Learning by Design(tm) (LBD), a project-based inquiry approach to science learning with roots in case-based reasoning and problem-based learning, pointing out the theoretical contributions of both, classroom issues that arose upon piloting a first attempt, ways we addressed those challenges, lessons…

The study aimed to determine if students in a redesigned course, firstly, hold different perceptions of the assessment demands and, secondly, adjusted their learning strategies towards deeper learning. Contrary to expectations, the students in the original assignment-based (ABL) course (n = 406 students) adopted more deep- learning strategies and…

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…

This article discusses the effectiveness of a theoretical-based integrated learning environment (ILE) for training non-traditional learners to perform the skills required to be successful in entry-level jobs. The ILE places instruction in a real-world, workplace context with realistic settings, characters, and storylines. The multimedia interface…

In a project-organized problem-based learning curriculum, students are encouraged to learn through a process where they write questions and find their own answers. Their supervisor has an important function in facilitating this process. When it comes to project assessment, this pattern is often changed to one where the supervisor asks the…