Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice
Developing teacher knowledge, skills, and confidence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is critical to supporting a culture of innovation and productivity across the population. Such capacity building is also necessary for the development of STEM literacies involvi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/728 |
| _version_ | 1827650465434697728 |
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| author | Kathy Smith Nicoleta Maynard Amanda Berry Tanya Stephenson Tabetha Spiteri Deborah Corrigan Jennifer Mansfield Peter Ellerton Timothy Smith |
| author_facet | Kathy Smith Nicoleta Maynard Amanda Berry Tanya Stephenson Tabetha Spiteri Deborah Corrigan Jennifer Mansfield Peter Ellerton Timothy Smith |
| author_sort | Kathy Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Developing teacher knowledge, skills, and confidence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is critical to supporting a culture of innovation and productivity across the population. Such capacity building is also necessary for the development of STEM literacies involving the ability to identify, apply, and integrate concepts from STEM domains toward understanding complex problems, and innovating to solve them. However, a lack of visible models of STEM integration has been highlighted by teachers as a challenge to successfully implementing integrated STEM education in schools. Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been well-established in higher education contexts as an approach to learning in the STEM disciplines and may present an effective way to integrate knowledge and skills across STEM disciplines in school-based STEM education and support the development of students as capable, self-directed learners. However, if PBL is to effectively contribute to STEM education in schools and build teacher capacity to teach STEM, then this approach needs to be better understood. This paper aims to generate a set of principles for supporting a PBL model of STEM education in schools based on insights from the literature and expert focus groups of PBL professionals. Four principles of PBL emerged from the data analysis: (a) flexible knowledge, skills, and capabilities; (b) active and strategic metacognitive reasoning; (c) collaboration based on intrinsic motivation; and (d) problems embedded in real and rich contexts. The study outcomes provide evidence-informed support for teachers who may be considering the value of adopting a PBL approach in school-based STEM education. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:19:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89e645a9803b4e5a9b114e7a43fc258f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:19:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-89e645a9803b4e5a9b114e7a43fc258f2023-11-23T23:52:16ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-10-01121072810.3390/educsci12100728Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational PracticeKathy Smith0Nicoleta Maynard1Amanda Berry2Tanya Stephenson3Tabetha Spiteri4Deborah Corrigan5Jennifer Mansfield6Peter Ellerton7Timothy Smith8Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Engineering, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton 3800, AustraliaFaculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, AustraliaFaculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, AustraliaDeveloping teacher knowledge, skills, and confidence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is critical to supporting a culture of innovation and productivity across the population. Such capacity building is also necessary for the development of STEM literacies involving the ability to identify, apply, and integrate concepts from STEM domains toward understanding complex problems, and innovating to solve them. However, a lack of visible models of STEM integration has been highlighted by teachers as a challenge to successfully implementing integrated STEM education in schools. Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been well-established in higher education contexts as an approach to learning in the STEM disciplines and may present an effective way to integrate knowledge and skills across STEM disciplines in school-based STEM education and support the development of students as capable, self-directed learners. However, if PBL is to effectively contribute to STEM education in schools and build teacher capacity to teach STEM, then this approach needs to be better understood. This paper aims to generate a set of principles for supporting a PBL model of STEM education in schools based on insights from the literature and expert focus groups of PBL professionals. Four principles of PBL emerged from the data analysis: (a) flexible knowledge, skills, and capabilities; (b) active and strategic metacognitive reasoning; (c) collaboration based on intrinsic motivation; and (d) problems embedded in real and rich contexts. The study outcomes provide evidence-informed support for teachers who may be considering the value of adopting a PBL approach in school-based STEM education.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/728problem-based learningPBLSTEMteacher developmentprofessional development |
| spellingShingle | Kathy Smith Nicoleta Maynard Amanda Berry Tanya Stephenson Tabetha Spiteri Deborah Corrigan Jennifer Mansfield Peter Ellerton Timothy Smith Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice Education Sciences problem-based learning PBL STEM teacher development professional development |
| title | Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice |
| title_full | Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice |
| title_fullStr | Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice |
| title_short | Principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in STEM Education: Using Expert Wisdom and Research to Frame Educational Practice |
| title_sort | principles of problem based learning pbl in stem education using expert wisdom and research to frame educational practice |
| topic | problem-based learning PBL STEM teacher development professional development |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/728 |
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