The Grand Challenge: Helping Teachers Learn/Teach Cutting-Edge Science via a PBL Approach

Abstract

A mixed-methods research study was designed to examine teachers' knowledge and confidence for implementing a STEMbased problem-based learning (PBL) unit in their 6-12 grade science and math classrooms. Twenty-one teachers (7 inservice and 13 pre-service) participated in an intensive two-week summer workshop during which they engaged in, and then created, an immersive PBL unit related to sustainable energy. Data were collected through a pre-post content knowledge test and two pre-post surveys-one measuring knowledge and confidence for implementing PBL and one measuring science teaching efficacy. Daily reflections and focus group interviews provided additional data regarding teachers' changing knowledge and confidence related to both content and PBL methods. Results revealed significant gains in content knowledge related to concepts in energy, confidence for implementing PBL, and science teaching efficacy. Implications for the professional development of rural STEM teachers and the importance of engaging teachers in a professional development experience that integrates STEM content and PBL methods also are discussed.

Interdisciplinary Mathematics Education: A State of the Art

“…museums, de Freitas and Bentley 2012), but integration can also be possible within regular school structures (e.g. Ertmer et al 2014). Some school systems-e.g.…”

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Student Interest in STEM Careers: The Roles of Motivation and Ability Beliefs

“…Research on K-12 education has suggested that PBL increases students' engagement and enjoyment of STEM subjects in particular, especially for girls and underrepresented minorities [41][42][43][44]. Further, studies have shown that PBL can improve students' creativity [45], critical thinking and problem-solving skills [46,47], reflective thinking [48], communication and collaboration skills [45,[48][49][50] and ability to self-direct learning [45,46,51]. Teachers also report that they incorporate more 21st century skills into their teaching and assessment when using PBL [52].…”

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding PBL Experiences in Inclusive STEM High Schools

“…Research examining the effectiveness of PBL approaches for improving student outcomes indicates similar positive outcomes, whether defined as project-or problem-based. Specifically, both have been found to result in improved skills related to communication and collaboration among students (Allen, Duch, and Groh, 1996;Bell, 2010;Baumgartner and Zabin, 2008;Cheng, Lam, and Chan, 2008;Lou, Shih, Diez, and Tseng, 2010;Mergendoller et al, 2006;Mioduser and Betzer, 2007), critical thinking and problem solving skills (Albanese and Mitchell, 1993;Ertmer, Schlosser, Clase, and Adedokun, 2014), students' ability to self-direct (Albanese and Mitchell, 1993;Bell, 2010;Norman and Schmidt, 1992), and student engagement and enjoyment (Albanese and Mitchell, 1993;Baran and Maskan, 2011;Baumgartner and Zabin, 2008;Faris, 2008;Hmelo-Silver, Duncan, and Chinn, 2007;Vernon and Blake, 1993). Furthermore, project and problem-based literature has identified benefits for low-and middleachieving students, and for students from ethnically-and racially-diverse backgrounds (LaForce et al, 2019;Han, Capraro, andCapraro, 2014, Mergendoller et al, 2006;Tal, Krajcik, and Blumenfeld, 2006).…”