1. Participatory Learning Deeper Learning by Putting Students in Charge of the Problem Lifecycle
Michael Bieber
Information Systems Department
College of Computing Sciences
New Jersey Institute of Technology
web.njit.edu/~bieber
June 2016

2. Participatory Learning --- Problem Lifecycle
Create Problem
Revise Problem
Instructor (quality control)
Solve Problem
Grade Solution (x2)
Resolve Grade
This is what we mean by engaging student in the entire problem lifecycle…
Dispute Grade
Instructor (quality control)
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3. Participatory Learning
Create Problem
Revise Problem
Solve Problem
Grade Solution (x2)
Read Everything
Resolve Grade
In addition, students can read everything their peers write…
Motivation: For students to learn more deeply by engaging and taking ownership in all the types of learning afforded by the entire problem lifecycle.
Problem-based Learning
Peer Assessment
Traditional Learning
Dispute Grade
Learning by Example
Self Assessment
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4. Motivation Deeper learning and interest in subjects How?
Learn through active engagement (involve students as active participants)
Give students ownership of entire problem life cycle
Use online system to scaffold process (& streamline management)

5. What is Unique?
PL relies on active participation by students in every Problem Lifecycle stage for assignments, quizzes and other course activities. (Instructors mentor and provide quality control.)
Researchers have studied, and many instructors utilize individual PL stages.
PL uniquely combines these stages into a comprehensive framework for deeper learning.

6. Fall 2014 – Spring 2016 w/prototype
Engineering Ethics
Essay questions about ethics scenarios
Quizzes (true/false, matching, short answer)
Computer Ethics
PhD Seminar – Social Media
Essay questions
Computer Science – MatLab
MatLab homework assignments
MIS – IT for Business
Excel spreadsheet homework assignments
Results from student surveys…
Various courses with assignments, quizzes and exams; Conducted student surveys…

7. Perceived Enjoyability
Cronbach’s Alpha=0.68
Questions SA A N D SD
Mean
S.D. #
I enjoyed the flexibility in organizing my resources
26.2%
48.9%
16.7%
3.6%
4.6%
3.88
1.00
221
I was motivated to do my best work
23.5%
42.9%
28.2%
3.4%
2.1%
3.82
.92
238
I enjoyed the process
17.2%
42.3%
22.6%
10.5%
7.4%
3.51
1.13
239
Survey results from prior set of courses before we developed a prototype support system… (Similar results with the support system.)
SA - strongly agree (5 points); A - agree (4); N - neutral (3); D - disagree (2); SD - strongly disagree (1); the mean is out of 5 points; S.D. - standard deviation

8. Perceived Learning Cronbach’s Alpha=0.88
Questions SA A N D SD
Mean
S.D. #
I learned from making up questions
17.9%
42.5%
21.3%
13.8%
4.5%
3.55
1.08
240
I learned from grading other students answers
17.7%
48.1%
19.4%
9.3%
5.5%
3.63
1.06
237
I learned from reading other people’s answers
15.8%
45.0%
22.1%
11.3%
5.8%
3.54
1.07
I demonstrated what I learned in class
13.6%
50.2%
22.6%
10.9%
2.7%
3.61
.95
221
My ability to integrate facts and develop generalizations improved
21.8%
49.2%
25.6%
2.1%
1.3%
3.88
.83
238
I learned to value other points of view
17.6%
51.9%
27.6%
1.6%
3.82
.81
239
I mastered the course materials
7.4%
51.6%
31.4%
6.9%
.84
188

9. Recommendation: Do Again!
Question SA A N D SD
Mean
S.D. #
Would you recommend in the future that this process be used?
20.7%
40.1%
24.5%
8.9%
5.8%
3.60
1.10
237

10. Participatory Learning
Issues:
Which problem types?
Which subjects?
Level (K-12, UG, Grad, T&D)
MOOCs?
More flexible structure
e.g., grading problem quality
The few who don’t participate
Create Problem
Revise Problem
Solve Problem
Read Everything
Grade Solution (x2)
Resolve Grade
Dispute Grade
All sorts of interesting research issues and opportunities…
Resolve Dispute

11. Participatory Learning
Issues:
Fostering good arguments
Scaffolds
e.g., effective rubrics
Groups
Higher levels of learning
Learning interpersonal skills
Interest in “uninteresting subjects”
Motivating further education
Create Problem
Revise Problem
Solve Problem
Read Everything
Grade Solution (x2)
Resolve Grade
Dispute Grade
All sorts of interesting research issues and opportunities…
Resolve Dispute

12. Participatory Learning
Create Problem
Invitation to Collaborate!
web.njit.edu/~bieber
For more on PL:
web.njit.edu/~bieber/pubs.html#p
Revise Problem
Solve Problem
Read Everything
Grade Solution (x2)
Resolve Grade
Dispute Grade
I’d like to work with people in various fields to try engaging their students to deepen learning with PL in their courses, and also looking for research collaboration on some of these very interesting issues.
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