Vol. 19, No. 13

Dec. 2, 1999

Problem-based learning grants
available, proposals due Jan. 28

The UD Problem-based Learning (PBL) Project, funded through the Pew Charitable Trusts and the University, is soliciting instructional grant proposals from faculty.

Proposals are invited from faculty who plan to transform an undergraduate course (or courses) from traditional approaches to problem-based learning, or to develop new undergraduate courses that will use problem-based learning. Departmental proposals for transforming a sequence of courses also are encouraged. Proposals must be from a team of at least two full-time, permanent faculty, from the same or different departments.

Awards will be made for up to $15,000 each, and can be used for salary support and course development expenses. Deadline for proposals is Friday, Jan. 28, with the announcement of awards expected by Feb. 18.

For full details of the criteria for the proposals, see <www.udel.edu/pbl>, or contact Barbara Duch <bduch@ udel.edu>.

In June 1998, the University received a $615,000 grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, matched by UD.

The grant supports the expansion of PBL into a variety of undergraduate courses, particularly medium to large introductory-level courses. It also provides faculty-to-faculty mentoring through the Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education (ITUE) which provides hands-on experience with PBL and other active learning strategies. Finally, the Pew award will allow UD to establish an electronic, searchable database of PBL problems, materials and instructional models for undergraduate courses.

Problem-based learning is an instructional method that challenges students to "learn to learn," working cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real-world problems, UD educators report.

Carefully constructed, open-ended problems help students develop critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. By encouraging students to assess their knowledge base and to recognize and remedy areas of deficiency, PBL also sets the stage for lifelong learning. Working in groups fosters communication and interpersonal skills, and a recognition that group diversity is a strength.

Since the summer of 1998, more than 150 UD faculty members have attended one of the week-long ITUE sessions, which help prepare faculty to use problem-based, student-centered, active learning in their classrooms. Registration to attend the Jan. 10-14 session is now under way. (See <www.udel.edu/inst> for details, or e-mail George Watson, <ghw@udel.edu>, to attend). There is no charge for UD faculty, and a charge of $350 for non-UD faculty.

Last year, three faculty teams received full funding from the UD PBL Project:

  • Janet Hethorn, Jo Kallal, Jane Lamb and Belinda Orzada from consumer studies and David Ames from urban affairs and public policy are working to design and teach a new course entitled, "Seeing and Believing in a Visual World." This problem-based course will be open to beginning University students of any discipline.
  • Tony Whitson, John St. Julien and Eugene Matusov, from the School of Education, are transforming EDUC 346 and 390 from traditional problem-based approaches. These courses are required of all elementary teacher education majors.
  • Raymond Wolters, Suzanne Alchon, Cathy Matson and Gary May from history and Howard Johnson from the Black American Studies Program are transforming a series of four history courses ranging from the 100 to 300 level.
  • Partial funding was received by two faculty teams from psychology; John McLaughlin and David Northmore for developing problem-based activities for PSYC 310; and Lawrence Cohen and Brian Ackerman for initial development of a new psychology course in research methods. Ann Ardis, University Honors Program, received funding to plan multidisciplinary multisection honor's colloquia courses with two teams of faculty and graduate students that include Vera Kaminski, art, and Devon Miller-Duggan and Maryruth Warner, English, working on "Technologies of Cultural Memory;" as well as Mary Jean Pfaelzer, McKay Jenkins, Martin Brueckner and Kathrine Varnes, English, who are developing "Mapping America's Future."