Integrating Problem-Based Learning and Technology in Education

1. Integrating Problem-Based Learning and Technology in Education George Watsonghw@udel.edu Institute for TransformingUndergraduate Education University of Delaware http://www.udel.edu/pbl/jamaica

2. 2007 The Way It Was... 1973 scientific calculators, graphing calculators, laptops, PDAs tablet PCs, gigabytes and gigahertz, ubiquitous computing Computation and Calculation

3. 2007 The Way It Was... 1973 e-mail, voice-mail, chatrooms, FAX, cell phones, text messaging, instant messaging, blogging, wireless connectivity Communication and Collaboration

4. 2007 The Way It Was... 1973 Online Information: web catalogs, networked databases, Britannica Online, online newspapers, course websites, CMS and LMS, podcasting, wikis, YouTube Collections and Connections

5. An important question: Given the amazing advances in technology and the dramatic change in the environment of our students, Can we afford to continue teaching the way we were taught?

6. IntegratingInformation Technologyand PBL

7. Active Learning Objectives Courses should: • Be student-centered and encourage students to “learn to learn.” • Provide opportunities to think critically and to analyze and solve problems. • Assist students in developing skills in gathering and evaluating information. • Provide experience working cooperatively in teams and small groups. • Help students acquire versatile and effective communication skills. • Offer a variety of learning experiences. • Apply technology effectively where it will enhance learning.

8. Information Technology Objectives Students should: • engage in electronic collaboration. • use and create structured electronic documents. • do technology-enhanced presentations. • use appropriate electronic tools for research and evaluation. • use spreadsheets and databases to manage information. • use electronic tools for analyzing quantitative and qualitative data. • identify major legal, ethical, and security issues in information technology. • have a working knowledge of IT platforms. Adapted from Technology Across the Curriculum, George Mason U.

9. Overlap of Active-Learning Objectives and Instructional Technology Objectives

10. Overlap of Active-Learning Objectives and Instructional Technology Objectives

11. Overlap of Active-Learning Objectives and Instructional Technology Objectives

12. www.physics.udel.edu/~watson

13. Organizingthe Course Organizingthe Course Utilizing Online Resources

14. Organizing the Course Web Sites and Web Pages Syllabus Syllabus Groups Student Reports and Projects

15. Organizing the Syllabus Syllabus Introduction to PBL Group facilitation and support Forms for assessment

16. Introduction to PBL

17. Group facilitation and support

18. Forms for assessment

19. Examples of supporting information that can be linked from an online syllabus: • Instructor’s instructional philosophy • Detailed course objectives (both content and process) • General education curriculum goals • Motivation and description of PBL • Problem solving process and strategies • Roles and responsibilities of students, peer tutors, and instructor • List of frequently asked questions about PBL and working in groups • Forms for assessment of individual performance in groups • Some thoughts on grading • Anonymous suggestion box and responses to suggestions • Academic Services Center • Policies on academic dishonesty and responsible computing

20. Organizing the Course Web Sites and Web Pages Syllabus Groups Groups Student Reports and Projects

21. Organizing Groups Groups Identity: Rosters, photos, addresses Vehicles for communication Vehicles for collaboration

23. Organizing Groups Groups Student to student Student to professor Professor to group Vehicles for communication Student to group Professor to student

24. Organizing Groups Groups bulletin boards, newsgroups Group to group Egroups.com chatrooms, filesharing, scheduling meetings Vehicles for collaboration CMS: WebCT controlled discussion forums, collaborative space, whiteboarding Group to professor

25. Organizingthe Course Utilizing Online Resources Utilizing Online Resources

26. Utilizing Online Resources Web Sites and Web Pages Ingredients for writing problems Inspiration for designing problems Information for solving problems

27. Ingredients for writing problems

28. Utilizing Online Resources Web Sites and Web Pages Ingredients for writing problems Creating images with scanners, digital cameras Background facts from networked databases Borrowing images from other sites

29. Web Sites and Web Pages Utilizing Online Resources Online regional newspapers for local perspective International newspapers for global view Inspiration for designing problems Quack websites for “raw” material Film and TV sites for scripts and characters

30. Utilizing Online Resources Web Sites and Web Pages Old thinking: The web is full of misinformation and biased representation Stay away! New thinking: Engage and develop critical thinking skills. The Internet Challenge! Evaluating online resources critically Information for solving problems Executing web searches effectively

31. Computer Simulations • A wide variety of educational games exist that represent a PBL approach to learning <www.legacyinteractive.com> : • emergency room www.trauma.org • virtual hospital www.vh.org • archaeological dig dig.anthro.niu.edu • halls of justice www.objection.com • Interactive Java applets and Flash animations are also an excellent way to bring the power of technology to the PBL classroom.

32. As initially presented to the students

33. Features of the Circuit Simulator The current version provides a prototyping workspace drag-and-drop selection of resistors and batteries multimeters that can be configured to display current and/or voltage for each circuit element wire cutters and wire to complete and reconfigure circuits to carry out simulated experiments. a written and audio introduction to its use.

34. Running a circuit simulation…

35. Concept Mapping Software www.inspiration.com

36. Trends and Directionsin PBL and Technology

37. Facilities for PBL

38. Collaborative workspace Flexible furniture in PBL classroom

40. www.udel.edu/pbl/wireless/

43. In your working group, please share your ideas on how you will use technology to support student learning in your PBL exercise.