New Perspectives in Science Education

Problem-Based Tuition is a scaffolded form of PBL that we have developed over the past 15 years to deliver an Interdisciplinary Science (Natural Sciences) degree [1] [2]. We discuss the issues arising in adapting the novel features of the program to a blended delivery in response to the COVID19 pandemic. One of the key features of the program is the use of structured guided reading, which carries over smoothly to the on-line environment. Others such as the lectures and group facilitation require adaptation. Rather than their use for Q&A following self-study, the previously interactive lectures were repurposed as pre-recorded introductions to the guided reading. Students then have these available for review. We found it important to provide extensive initial practice in the use of the relevant software for group discussions (Blackboard Collaborate and OneNote). The issues arising in the adaptation of group peer-marking will be discussed. We compare our experience with the adaptation to blended learning of a PBL module in a Chemistry degree [3].   

Keywords: problem-based, interdisciplinary science, blended learning.

References:

1. Sarah Gretton, Derek Raine and Craig Bartle, 2014, Scaffolding Problem Based Learning With Module Length Problems, Conference: European Science Education Research Association Conference 2013, DOI:10.13140/2.1.2156.4162
2. Raine D J., 2015, Innovative Practices (York, Higher Education Academy)
3. Williams, D. P. (2019), “Context- and problem-based learning in chemistry in higher education”, in Seery, M. K. and Mc Donnell, C. (Eds.), Teaching Chemistry in Higher Education: A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Tina Overton, Creathach Press, Dublin, pp. 123-136.