Which of the following teachers is engaging students in problem-based learning?
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Research has demonstrated that engaging students in the learning process increases their attention and focus and motivates them to engage in higher-level critical thinking. Instructors who adopt a student-centered approach to instruction increase opportunities for student engagement, which then helps everyone more successfully achieve the course’s learning objectives. Active learning is an instructional approach in which students actively participate in the learning process, as opposed to sitting quietly and listening. Strategies include, but are not limited to, question-and-answer sessions, discussion, interactive lecture (in which students respond to or ask questions), quick writing assignments, hands-on activities, and
experiential learning. As you think of integrating active learning strategies into your course, consider ways to set clear expectations, design effective evaluation strategies, and provide helpful feedback. ACTIVE LEARNING A pedagogy-first approach to teaching in which in-class time is re-purposed for inquiry, application
and assessment in order to better meet the needs of the individual learners. FLIPPING THE CLASSROOM While “good” discussions can be a powerful tool for encouraging student learning, successful discussions rarely happen spontaneously. Preparing ahead of time will help you delineate a clear focus for the discussion and set well-defined parameters.
This will enable the class to address important topics from multiple perspectives, thus increasing students’ curiosity for, and engagement with, course content. DISCUSSIONS Passionate disagreement can become disrespectful. That’s when discussion sheds more heat than light, impairing the ability to make arguments based on fact
or to listen past preconceptions. READ MORE Student WritingAs an instructor, you might work with student writing in a number of ways: short-answer exams, essays, journals, blog posts, research assignments and so on. You may also take your students through the writing process by assigning
drafts, encouraging peer response through structured or informal exercises, and using writing to facilitate active learning. Large lecture instructionLarge classes (100+ students) should not be limited exclusively to lecture-based teaching. In a large class, participation can be designed to get students actively solving problems, interacting with one another and the instructor, and processing course material. LARGE LECTURES Office hoursOffice hours give students the opportunity to ask in-depth questions and to explore points of confusion or interest that cannot be fully addressed in class. It is important for UW instructors to encourage their students to come to office hours and to use that time effectively. We have two guides to help you: Face-to-face office hours and Virtual office hours. Service-learningService-learning refers to learning that actively involves students in a wide range of experiences, which often benefit others and the community, while also advancing the goals of a given curriculum. SERVICE LEARNING We have all heard young children repeatedly ask their mothers "why" questions. "Why is spaghetti sauce red?" "Why do bunnies have fur?" or "Why is Grandma's skin wrinkled?" It seems natural and healthy for children to ask questions. So what happens to that inquisitiveness between the ages of two and twelve? By the time children are in middle school it seems as if learning is torture. Teachers continually ask themselves and their colleagues, "How can I make learning more interesting for my students?" One option for teachers is problem-based learning. What Is Problem-Based Learning? The idea is to teach students to learn how to learn. By having to solve problems, students practice learning rather than merely memorizing. Amazingly enough, the students are not only introduced to facts while solving the problem, but they remember them because the facts are no longer a collection of random information--rather they are meaningful and relevant to solving actual problems. Students learn to apply new information to solve problems. How Does PBL Work? Furthermore, it is important that the problem be meaningful to the students. They should be able to relate to the issue at hand. When students ??? to the issue, they will be more compelled to solve the problem and more likely to retain the information they find. Students should then discuss the problem and record all their prior knowledge. Based on what the students already know, each group or individual can make a hypothesis or working statement, which is likely to change as more information is deducted through research. Next, students will brain storm a list of questions that need to be answered in order to solve the problem. Students will use resources (e.g., Internet, encyclopedias, periodicals, experts, etc. . .) to answer these questions. It is most desirable for the teacher to have already decided on what resources the students will use. This way the teacher can notify the school library and/or gather resources in the classroom that will aid in the students' discovery. This approach also saves students from searching through useless materials. This simple chart can help students keep their objectives in order.
What Is the Teacher's Role in PBL? The teacher should not expect students to be effective problem solvers right away. Since learning to solve problems is one of the main goals of PBL, students will need to be guided during the searching and solving process. By asking questions along with the students, a teacher can serve as a model problem solver. As students get better at problem solving, the teacher's involvement may change slightly. However, there is a fine line between guiding and modeling and being overly involved. If the teacher guides all the students in the same direction, the students will assume there is only one correct answer and will most likely try to figure out what answer the teacher wants. Also, the students will not take ownership of the problem if the teacher does the work for them. Therefore, it is important that the teacher allows students to question things differently. For More information on Problem-Based Learning, check out these sites. Problem Based Learning: An Introduction UD PBL: Problem-Based Learning Center for Problem-Based Learning Core What is the teacher's role in problemThe role of the teacher in a PBL classroom is as a coach or guide. The teacher should not expect students to be effective problem solvers right away. Since learning to solve problems is one of the main goals of PBL, students will need to be guided during the searching and solving process.
What is problemProblem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered approach in which students learn about a subject by working in groups to solve an open-ended problem. This problem is what drives the motivation and the learning.
What is an example of problemFor example, a problem-based learning project could involve students pitching ideas and creating their own business plans to solve a societal need. Students could work independently or in a group to conceptualize, design, and launch their innovative product in front of classmates and community leaders.
Which instructional model do teachers stimulate student thinking and view the learner as a problem solver?Problem-based inquiry emphasizes learning as a process that involves problem solving and critical thinking in situated contexts. It provides opportunities to address broader learning goals that focus on preparing students for active and responsible citizenship.
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