In-Situ Educational Research from Concept to Classroom Implementation: A Multiple Paper Dissertation

An educational researcher sought to collaborate with a classroom instructor to introduce problem-based learning as a new teaching intervention. First, a classroom instructor was approached to consider how a problem-based learning instructional approach might fit with their existing curriculum plan. The researcher and the classroom teacher used a discussion framework to decide together how to best design a professional learning course meant to prepare the teacher to use the new techniques in their classroom. The teacher took the professional learning course and subsequently designed his own problem-based learning course. That course was then delivered to undergraduate students in a college senior thermo-fluids lab course. Quantitative and qualitative data describe how students recognized the connection between the lab course and their perceptions of a future career as engineers. Preliminary findings suggest the researcher and teacher professional learning codesign process contributed positively to the classroom teachers developing and delivering their own PBL course that was perceived by students to contribute positively to their content knowledge, motivation and perception of their future career as engineers.