A Problem-Based Learning Approach to Improve Student Success in Engineering
Overview
Several Engineering faculty members at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have adopted a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach to improving student success rates in some of its Basic Engineering curriculum through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Preliminary findings suggest that students are improving their confidence in problem solving and increasing peer group study beyond the classroom. PBL design is enhanced through the use of cooperative learning, which is integrated into our teaching pedagogy using undergraduate peer facilitators who are trained in these methods and actively support both faculty and students in the classroom.
Objectives
Our work focuses on four steps: (1) adapting exemplary materials for use in the classroom, (2) creating cooperative group arrangements to promote peer teaching and learning (3) implementing and developing assessment instruments to guide our development and assess our results, and (4) disseminating our results to institutions similar to UTEP. The exemplary materials consist of problem based learning modules designed to present material in several modalities, using a multi-intelligence approach, in an effort to present the subject matter to students in the form they prefer. Students are encouraged to help each other using the problem based modules that are designed for collaborative experiences.
Goal
The immediate impact of our work will increase retention by using a problem oriented, collaborative environment to create more classroom excitement while making the material more relevant and understandable.
What is Available
The I4A web provides links to several resources, not all of these resources were directly funded by the NSF but many of them are available for download. In particular, many of the computer simulations are performed using commercial software. Most of this software is available to UTEP faculty and students through the Engineering PACE program (email: engrpace@utep.edu, PACE Lab). Look for the links called PACE to find information and downloads. If you are not "entitled" to the software, send us an email and we will give you information about how you can get the software.
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