The main purpose of this qualitative research was to discover the effects of problem-based learning on a fifth grade language arts classroom. The secondary purpose was to examine how receptive fifth grade students were to a new way of learning. In this descriptive study, a group of nine students created an alternate reality game as part of a problem-based learning module. The instructional design of the study included three weeks for students to design and construct their games and one week to play, receive feedback and revise based on feedback. Through reflective blogs, semi-structured interviews, video recordings, and observations, data was collected to analyze. Over a period of five months, the data was coded and arranged into categories. The categories merged into themes. The results and findings revealed the impact collaborative groups have on design and enjoyment. Self-regulation skills were found to be lacking in most of the students, intrinsic motivation increased for some students while others developed positive outcomes beyond the scope of this study.

Faculty of Humanities School of Education 0215438v lkotta@chemistry.uct.ac.za / The focus of this study was a case-based approach used in the first year course Introduction to Process and Materials Engineering, PRME1002, at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2005. This approach attempted to promote epistemic access to Process and Materials Engineering by moving away from the more traditional decontextualised and contrived engineering problems and introducing context-rich cases entailing more authentic engineering problems. The study investigated the extent to which the context rich problem-solving environment afforded the students epistemic access to Process and Materials Engineering. This was done through an analysis of the form and content of students’ knowledge and problem-solving skills as evidenced in their written responses to case-based problems. A modified form of the Structure of Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy was used as the instrument of analysis. The research showed that students tended to work in fragmented ways despite the context. They tended not to fully explore the context and as such could not successfully identify the salient aspects. They frequently ignored evidence in the context and invented their own in order to be able to use strategies that they were most familiar with. These findings suggest that that while the case-based approach introduced in the course, theoretically has the hallmarks of an ideal approach with which to create a favourable environment for learning, if students treat knowledge as fragmented and aren’t persuaded by the context to change their ways of working, the case-based approach does not afford students optimal epistemological access.

How best to help students master the control of variables skill is a debated topic among educators and psychologists. Contrasting theories as to how it develops parallel contrasting ideas about how it should be taught. Recent studies relying on direct instruction have shown that this approach to teaching the control of variables skill is not successful for academically disadvantaged populations. Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a method of instruction that holds promise in this regard and is explored in the present work as a method for teaching the control of variable skill. Recent empirical studies have proven its effectiveness with the learning and application of declarative knowledge. A tightly controlled experiment was conducted with 6th and 7th grade students. Students were randomly assigned to one of 4 conditions (team, individual, observer, control) following a pretest to determine skill level. These groups varied in level of engagement and social interaction. Students who solved the problem individually, in a team of three, or students that observed an individual solver were compared to a control group. Students were presented with a realistic problem involving causes of teen crime. Records from varying towns reported variable levels and outcomes. Over three sessions students examined the records with the objective of determining which variables did or did not make a difference to teen crime. Following the PBL sessions students in all conditions were administered both immediate and delayed assessments of skill.. Between 75 and 80% of students in the PBL individual and team conditions successfully demonstrated use of the skill. Students who achieved the highest level on both the causal and noncausal variables scored on average 41% higher on the posttest. There was no difference between these two groups in acquisition of the skill. A significant difference was found between the the PBL groups and the two remaining groups (observer and control). Performance of these groups was not significantly different and inferior to that of the PBL groups.. The implications of these findings are considered in a number of different theoretical and applied contexts: a) enhancing students' mastery of the control of variables skill; (b) extending evidence of the effectiveness of a PBL method from declarative to procedural knowledge; (c) active vs. vicarious learning, and (d) individual vs. collaborative reasoning and problem solving.

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With the development of computer technology and Internet, e-Learning has become more and more important to support student¡¦s learning. Novice students usually lack adequate assisting tools especially in programming learning. Therefore, we propose the problem-based Python programming learning system with extendable item-bank. The system can generate program debugging exercise by using mutation testing technology. Additionally, for enhancing student¡¦s problem-exploration and reasoning capacity, the system provide another practice - Programming Exercise Creating Practice. In this kind of practice, every student can create his own programming exercise using question template and answer code template. This practice not only can enhance student¡¦s capacity but also can rich enrich the system¡¦s item-bank by using this strategy. Different from other programming learning systems, our system provide a more complete trainings on programming capacities, and building with Web2.0 concept. So, student who learns programming on this system will not only do exercise, but he also can help other students. So, student can get more kind of learning chance in this way. Additionally, we also hope that teacher¡¦s loading will be decreased and quality of course will be increased by using this system.

The purpose of education is to help students to prepare for solving problems. The traditional teaching methods, however, let teachers ignore this part and make students learn by rote without applying the knowledge in lives. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is different from the traditional teaching method. The course is centered on the students who decide what to learn themselves. By using group discussions, it initiates students¡¦ motivations to seek for knowledge actively, and improves their learning efficiency. This study was focused on the ¡§Family and Human Relations: Guided Reading of Classic Plays¡¨ provided by the Center for General Education of National Sun Yat-sen University in the second semester of 2008 academic year. It uses the students who took this class as examples to investigate which curriculum action is the most effective way to initiate their learning spirits, and what are the benefits for them in the PBL teaching method. The study will also raise some suggestions to improve the curriculum. In order to accomplish these purposes, the researcher applied the action research in this study and served as a teaching assistant to help the course design as well as to observe the students¡¦ behaviors. The study also adopted questionnaire survey, focus group interview, and students¡¦ learning portfolio to collect data. The research found: 1. the students in Taiwan consider that PBL can improve their self-learning sprits and promote multi-thinking characteristics; 2. the best way to utilize PBL teaching method and increase students¡¦ learning motivations is ¡§collecting and reading extracurricular materials,¡¨ and the most efficient ways to achieve this curriculum goals are ¡§problem discussion,¡¨ ¡§role playing,¡¨ ¡§characters¡¦ defense,¡¨ and ¡§extracurricular reading¡¨; 3. ¡§Family and Human Relations: Guided Reading of Classic Plays¡¨ is suitable for different genders and colleges¡¦ students together to form a diversified environment, which can promote the students¡¦ learning effectiveness and encourage their social abilities; 4. this curriculum can cultivate students¡¦ abilities of multi¡Vthinking, interpersonal intelligence, and solving problems. This course conforms to the principles of Taiwan¡¦s general education that emphasize to foster students¡¦ core competencies, and to breed their humanistic spirits and holistic care personalities.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-136). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 249-259). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 249-259). Also available on the Internet.

Dissertation (Ed.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 28, 2010). Directed by Jolene Henning; submitted to the Dept. of Exercise and Sport Science. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-75).