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Designing and Evaluating Context- and Problem-Based Learning Resources

Designing and Evaluating Context- and Problem-Based Learning Resources. Christine O’Connor, Michael Seery Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland. Overview. Background Resource Design and Development Trialling Process Evaluation. Background.

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Designing and Evaluating Context- and Problem-Based Learning Resources

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  1. Designing and Evaluating Context- and Problem-Based Learning Resources Christine O’Connor, Michael Seery Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland

  2. Overview • Background • Resource Design and Development • Trialling Process • Evaluation

  3. Background • Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) received HE-STEM (UK) funding to develop C/PBL resources • 4 of the 10 ten themed resources were developed in DIT and are available on the Learn Chemistry website: www.rsc.org/learnchemistry • Each resource is based on 50 learning hours (25/25) • Wiki • Supported by 2 research assistants over 9 months

  4. What is Context and Problem Based Learning (C/PBL)? Uses real-life applications. Learners collaborate to solve problems. Provides the opportunity to develop transferable skills (see later). Engaged, Enterprising, Enquiry based, Effective, Expert

  5. C/PBL Resources

  6. Resource Components • Each resource contains • Context Information • Tutor Guide • Induction Presentation • Student Guide • Wiki (group collab and tutor monitoring) • Some additional materials • Nanomaterials has several online resources on instrumentation and techniques • Some resources contain extensive annotated bibliographies

  7. Small Materials to Solve Big Problems

  8. Small Materials to Solve Big Problems

  9. Module Assessment

  10. Transferable Skills Developed Students asked to summarise their reflections on the development of these transferable skills at the end of the case study

  11. Tutor Guide Support Constructive alignment

  12. Create new pages and upload files Pages created using project headings Introductory text from tutor Log of recent activity used to monitor student contributions

  13. Trialling Process • Eight institutions across UK and Ireland piloted resources • Feedback on improvements to resources • Feedback on implementation • Resources now on Learn Chemistry

  14. Evaluation: Tutors • Keen to use context and problem based learning • No “hard-sell” required • Lack of time to develop cited as a reason for not doing this before • Flexibility in design important for uptake (constructive alignment) • Assessment, content, delivery, extensions • Wiki a useful tool to organise group work and provide ongoing feedback • Learning and understanding perceived to have improved • Exam in one trial • Assessment (workshop based) is more time consuming

  15. Evaluation: Students • On the context: • “It makes you feel like an actual scientist rather than just a student following a set of instructions on a sheet” [Environmental Trial 1] • “Good way to learn – makes a change from the format most other modules take” [Nanomaterials 1] • “I found it exciting and rewarding to develop a novel compound and really enjoyed the challenge” [Medicinal 3] • Lot of work involved, should not be done for more than one module in a year [Medicinal 3]

  16. Evaluation: Students • On wikis: • 93% preferred wikis to paper, although 67% had technical difficulties. [Medicinal 1] • “Editing of others work can be difficult if they do not upload their material in a timely fashion.” [Medicinal 2] • “Wiki presentation did not work.” [Nanochemistry 2]

  17. Evaluation: Students • On learning: • “Confidence in medicinal chemistry increased”. [Medicinal 1 & 2] • “It has been an absolutely fantastic learning curve, I have gained so much confidence in just being able to plan an experiment and work out where and why it’s gone wrong. Which is definitely something until now I haven’t experienced before in my degree.” [Environmental 1]

  18. Evaluation: Students • On transferable skills: • “Working in a team was a good experience for me as I enjoyed it at times, but sometimes I felt other members took over rather than sharing the workload” [Medicinal 3] • “Did not see how [debate] was relevant to course of career in future!” [Nanochemistry 2] • “The main skill I have picked up here is problem solving.” [Environmental 1]

  19. Conclusions • Four C/PBL resources developed and will be available on www.rsc.org/learnchemistry • Resources provide context and develop transferable skills explicitly – can relate to graduate attributes • Feedback from tutors positive – flexibility in delivery and technical support key aspects • Feedback from students positive – clarification on assessment and technical barriers main support requirements

  20. Acknowledgements • Dr Claire Mc Donnell & Dr Sarah Rawe (Academic Developers) • Dr BrigidLanigan & Mr Damien Coman (Research Assistants) • Dr Luke O’Neill, Focas Research Institute • Trial teams, external evaluator, and their students • RSC HE-STEM funding programme • School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, DIT

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