Making Problem-Based Learning Work at Sullivan University

1. Making Problem-Based Learning Work at Sullivan University Day 2: Doing PBL

2. Overview • What is PBL and Why Use it? • The PBL Learning Cycle • The Keys to Successful Group Work • Writing PBL Problems • Sample PBL Course • Presenting and Assessing Problems

3. What is Problem-Based Learning? • 1. Analyzing and solving open-ended, real-world problems • 2. Working cooperatively in teams • 3. Finding, evaluating, and using learning resources that address the problem • 4. Communicating effectively (both orally and in written form)

4. Why Use Problem-based Learning? We must produce college graduates who demonstrate better critical thinking skills and better teamwork skills than we do now

5. Paradigm Shift • Teacher-Centered • Attention: 40% of the time (Pollio, 1984) • Retention: 70% of the first 10 minutes and 20% of the last 10 minutes (McKeachie, 1986) • Student-Centered • Retention: Over 70% of what students discuss with others (Glassner, 1999)

6. Problem-Based Learning • Challenge students with real life problems (critical thinking) • Solve problems by working in teams (teamwork) • Instructor “facilitates” knowledge, not “provides” knowledge

7. John Dewey Kurt Lewin David Kolb Boud Duch, Groh, & Allen McMaster University (1980); Michigan State; Harvard Univ. of Delaware; North Dakota State Univ.; Sullivan Annual Int’l PBL Conference PBL History

8. Links to Helpful Resources • NDSU Teaching Resources: http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/mehta/resources/ • NDSU PBL Resources: http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/mehta/bush/ • University of Delaware PBL Resources: http://www.udel.edu/pbl/ • Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education, Jan. 17-19, 2007: http://www.udel/edu/inst/jan2007 • International PBL Symposium (Singapore, March 7-9, 2007): http://myrp2.myrp.edu/sg/sites/ced/symposium/default.htm. • PAN-PBL Pan-American Network for Problem-Based learning (next conference in January 2008 in Colima, Mexico): http://www.udel.edu/pan-pbl/

9. Responding to Resistance: Interactive Debate • From administrators… • From colleagues… • From students…

10. The PBL Learning Cycle Model Stage 4: Prepare and Present Report (class discussion, evaluation, & Implementation) Stage 1. Identify and the Problem Brainstorm, prior knowledge, pose research questions (what do we need to know?) Stage 2. Research: Assign Responsibilities, Summarize & Analyze, Determine Criteria for Judging Solutions Stage 3: Determine Solution(s) (based on Research, Analysis, & Criteria)

11. Systematic Problem-Solving Method (Dewey, 1933) • Identify and define the problem. • Analyze the problem. • Determine criteria for judging solutions. • Generate a host of solutions. • Select the best solution based on the criteria. • Implement the agreed-upon solution. • Determine a time to assess the solution’s effectiveness.

12. The Student’s Role… • Students are presented with a problem. • Students work in groups to organize their ideas and previous knowledge related to the problem and attempt to define the broad nature of the problem. • Students pose new questions. • Student rank order the questions and assign members to research each one. • Students continue to refine and create new questions as they proceed.

13. The Teacher’s Role… • Guidance and support (does not control or provide solutions) • Yield some of their power to students

14. Interdependence Weekly in-class group work Group grades and individual grades Accountability Group Dynamics Peer Evaluations Group Dynamics Self Evaluations Group Dynamics Instructor Evaluations Firing option The Keys to Successful Group Work…

15. Ethical and Effective Group Participation… • Be committed to the group goal • Stay on Task • Complete Individual Assignments • Avoid Interpersonal Conflicts • Encourage Participation

16. Developing a Code of Ethics • Group Contract • Peer Critiques/Evaluations • Accountability/Consequences

17. Developing Your Own Code of Ethics Responsibility Operationalization Consequences

18. Managing Conflict • Perception Checking: • Describe the behavior you noticed. (“You said you liked the idea I proposed.”) • Offer 2 possible interpretations. (“But something in the way you said it made me wonder if you may have a concern about it . . . Or maybe it’s my imagination.”) • Ask for clarification. (“How do you really feel?”)

19. Managing Conflict • Paraphrasing • “What I hear you saying is…” • Coping with Criticism • Agree with the truth. (“You’re right. I am angry.” “Yes, I suppose I was being sarcastic.”) • Agree with the critic’s perception. (“I can understand why you might think that. What I meant was..”)

20. Writing Good PBL Problems… • Start with a Story • Case studies • Start with a Problem • http://lii.org/search/file/society • http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/issuehome.cfm

21. Important Considerations… • Course Level/Maturity of Students • Problem as Related to Course Objectives • How will outcomes be assessed? Evaluated? • Should prompting questions be use? How directive? • Time frame • Student access to resources

22. PBL Problem-Writing Steps • Step 1: Choose a central idea, concept, or principle taught in your course and an assignment you usually use to measure student learning. What are the learning objectives for it? • Step 2: Think of a real-world context for the concept under consideration. • Step 3: Stage the problem. • Step 4: Write a detailed lesson plan. • Step 5: Identify starting place resources for students. • Step 6: Assessment?

23. Assessment & Evaluation Options • Written exams, quizzes (pre and post test) • Oral exams, focus groups • Term papers • Reflective journals • Oral reports • One minute papers • Portfolios • Concept maps • Group projects • Peer and self-assessments

24. Interactive Activity: PBL Case

25. The PBL Public Speaking Course • Students prepared and presented six speeches on a socially relevant topic or issue. Why? • To improve teamwork skills & critical thinking skills by focusing on real world problems • Delivery, Structure, AND CONTENT

26. Sample Speech Topic Areas • Discrimination • Media Ethics • Child Pornography • Genetically Engineered Foods • Terrorism • School Violence • Corporate Crime • Women and Body Image

27. 15-20 minute symposium speech Problem-Cause-Solution or Monroe’s Motivated Sequence PowerPoint slides Gang violence Problem: Breadth and Depth of the problem Cause: Factors that contribute to the existence of the problem Solutions: Broad/Local/Personal Actuation Persuasive Group Symposium Speech

28. Evaluation • Interdependence • Weekly in-class group work • Group grades • Accountability • Group Dynamics Peer Evaluations • Group Dynamics Self Evaluations • Group Dynamics Instructor Evaluations • Firing option

29. Students comprehended public speaking concepts better in a PBL course than in a traditional course. • Twenty standardized multiple choice questions (ten from each exam) • PBL will not lower exam scores (even with less attention paid to “lecture”)

30. Students were significantly more engaged in the PBL classrooms than in the traditional classrooms. • The more engaged the student is, the more learning that occurs

31. Students prepared better speeches in a PBL course than in a traditional course. • Content analysis of randomly selected student outlines • Greater depth and socially significant topics • More sources & variety of sources • Better structure (i.e., consistent design, thesis statements, attention catchers, clinchers) • More attention to learning cycle dimensions & rhetorical appeals

32. Students reported a greater decrease in public speaking anxiety by the end of the PBL course.

33. Students were more satisfied with the course when taught using PBL methods (even though it was more rigorous). • The Affective Learning Scale • The Classroom Climate Scale

34. Critical Thinking & Social Responsibility Gullicks, K. (2006). What’s service got to do with it?: Investigating students’ sense-making of required service in the basic communication course (doctoral dissertation)

35. Service-learning Defined: “Volunteer work performed by students that extends and enhances their classroom curriculum while making valuable contributions to community organizations” (Rhodes & Davis, 2001, p. 33).

36. Service-learning Outcomes • Personal and interpersonal development • Ability to understand and apply knowledge • Developed sense of citizenship • Perspective transformation (Eyler & Giles, 1999)

37. Research Questions RQ1: How do students make sense of required service-learning in the basic course? RQ2: How does student sense-making of a two-hour service-learning requirement compare to student sense-making of a 10-hour service-learning requirement in the basic course?

38. A majority of student comments communicated positively about: (a) personal and interpersonal development (b) ability to understand & apply knowledge (c) developed sense of citizenship Conclusions and Implications: Service-learning outcomes

39. Conclusions and Implications: Comparison of service lengths • Both 2 hour and 10 hour = meaningful connections to the three main service-learning outcomes

40. Conclusions and Implications: Comparison of service lengths • Specific to the10-hour group: • perspective transformation • Degree of difference perceived to have made in the community • amount of service too much

41. Conclusions and Implications: Negative student responses • Difficulty trying to fit service into schedules • Service extraneous to class work • Very few student comments = service should not be required

42. Student Response to Required Service: “I think it is a very good idea because it helps the community, it may make some students volunteer again in life, and it provides a great topic to talk about that you know a lot about and are more comfortable speaking about.”

43. What’s service got to do with public speaking? • PBL speech quality focused on community issues • Social responsibility • Value-added

44. The question is no longer about whether or not to use PBL. . . . But HOW?

45. Your Class(es) • Which class might you incorporate PBL and why? • To what degree? • How?

46. Dyad Activity: Writing Problems

47. Wrap-up • Presenting and Assessing Problems • Synthesis: Why do PBL?