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Problem Based-Learning (PBL) for Sustainable Technology: Overview The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) has been awarded a three-year $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a new project titled Problem Based-Learning (PBL) for Sustainable Technology: Increasing the STEM Pipeline. Funding is provided through the NSF’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to help America develop its sustainable technologies. Many colleges have begun offering continuing education and courses on sustainability in building, transportation, energy and economic policy. STEM PBL Principal Investigator Fenna Hanes of NEBHE said: “This project will develop two professional development courses for pre-service and in-service teachers. It will also meet the need for STEM instructional materials by developing six problem-based multimedia ‘Challenges’ in sustainable technology areas such as alternative energy, biotechnology, environmental protection, lighting, nanotechnology and sensors for use in college and high school classrooms.” Co-principal investigators are: Professors Michele Dischino from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn.; Judith Donnelly from Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, Conn.; and Nicholas Massa from Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, Mass. PBL is a learning-centered rather than instructor-centered approach, in which the problem situation drives the learning. Key issues limiting the use of PBL in STEM education include an overall lack of instructional resources and lack of opportunities for teachers and faculty to learn how to effectively incorporate PBL in their existing courses. In addition, many teacher education programs do not even cover PBL instructional methods. The overall goal is increasing the number of U.S. students completing studies in STEM subjects, especially in engineering technician programs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2010 the number of jobs in STEM-related occupations will grow at three times the rate of all other occupations. However, the U.S. lacks homegrown talent to fill these occupations and must rely on foreign workers. One reason for declining U.S. enrollment in engineering technician programs is that naturally problem-solving students are turned off by traditional education methods: dry classroom lectures followed by cook-book laboratory experiences that provide little engagement or interaction. The STEM PBL Project will develop a series of multimedia industry-based Challenges designed to stimulate problem-based learning in the classroom to help lower the dropout rate from engineering technology programs. NEBHE is recruiting businesses and researchers to collaborate in development of the STEM PBL Challenges as well as STEM educators to participate in the professional development programs. For further information, contact Principal Investigator Fenna Hanes at fhanes@nebhe.org or call 617-357-9620. |