1. Designing and Evaluating Context- and Problem-Based Learning Resources
Christine O’Connor, Michael Seery
Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland

2. Overview Background Resource Design and Development Trialling Process
Evaluation

3. Background
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) received HE-STEM (UK) funding to develop C/PBL resources
4 of the 10 ten themed resources were developed in DIT and are available on the Learn Chemistry website:
Each resource is based on 50 learning hours (25/25)
Wiki
Supported by 2 research assistants over 9 months

5. What is Context and Problem Based Learning (C/PBL)?
Uses real-life applications.
Learners collaborate to solve problems.
Provides the opportunity to develop transferable skills (see later).
Engaged, Enterprising, Enquiry based, Effective, Expert

6. C/PBL Resources Resource Title Theme Format Molecules against Malaria
Medicinal chemistry, drug design
Lecture/ workshop
Small Materials to Solve Big Problems
Nanochemistry, energy, medicine, materials
Faster Greener Chemistry?
Organic/inorganic synthesis, green chemistry
Laboratory
Pollutant Detection and Remediation
Physical chemistry, adsorption, advanced auto-oxidation processes, kinetics

7. Resource Components Each resource contains Some additional materials
Context Information
Tutor Guide
Induction Presentation
Student Guide
Wiki (group collab and tutor monitoring)
Some additional materials
Nanomaterials has several online resources on instrumentation and techniques
Some resources contain extensive annotated bibliographies

8. Small Materials to Solve Big Problems
Direct students to case study descriptions in appendix of their guide.

9. Small Materials to Solve Big Problems
Workshop 1:
Module induction
Overview of library resources
Workshop 2:
Student presentation on “Applications of Nanomaterials in Society”
Workshop 3:
Class debate on “Advantages and Disadvantages of Nanomaterials in Society”
Workshop 4:
Research on synthesis of nanomaterials
Workshop 5:
Research on characterisation of nanomaterials
Workshop 6:
Student presentation on case study
Close of module
This slide can be used to provide an overview of the module content. Refer students to Figure 1 in their guide for further details.

10. Module Assessment Assessment Component Mark Allocation Assessment mark
Information retrieval (Workshop 1)
Individual
10%
PowerPoint presentation (Workshop 2)
20%
Debate (Workshop 3)
Case Study
50%
Breakdown:
Attendance and contribution at workshop 4-6
(15%)
Group wiki
Group
(20%)
Peer assessment mark for wiki presentation
(5%)
Final individual reflective piece
(10%)
Highlight assignment of marks to students.

11. Transferable Skills Developed
Team work:
work in groups to complete the tasks.
Organisation and planning:
prepare procedures and plan effective use of time in the laboratory.
Communication:
oral presentation and report writing.
Drawing conclusions and recommendations:
Justify decisions, assumptions and conclusions with reference to results from other groups and supporting literature.
Numeracy:
apply green chemistry metrics to experimental results.
Professional role & responsibilities:
adopt role of a professional chemist to consider the environmental impact & costing
Problem solving:
address the brief in the scenario presented.
Information technology skills:
use a wiki to collaborate & develop ability to use word-processing, spreadsheet, presentation, chemical drawing and library database software.
Metacognition:
reflect on the case study using the guidelines provided.
Students asked to summarise their reflections on the development of these transferable skills at the end of the case study

12. Graduate Attribute/Skill
Engaged
eg within Professional, community, social,
learning global contexts
Context, adopting role as professional scientists 
Enterprising
Eg Career development, innovation projects, creative practice etc
 Fulfilling a professional contract – achieving specified targets
Enquiry based
Eg Digital networks, knowledge creation,
reflective practice, problem solving etc
Nature of investigation requires inquiry 
Effective
Eg Team projects, co-curricular activities,
Time managers, communicators
Group work, complex task involves time management 
Expertise
(subject discipline)
Professional tasks, field studies, practicals, placements etc
Applying prior knowledge to problem solving 

13. Tutor Guide Support
Constructive alignment

14. Create new pages and upload files
Pages created using project headings
Introductory text from tutor
Log of recent activity used to monitor student contributions

15. Trialling Process
Eight institutions across UK and Ireland piloted resources
Feedback on improvements to resources
Feedback on implementation
Resources now on Learn Chemistry

16. Evaluation: Tutors Keen to use context and problem based learning
No “hard-sell” required
Lack of time to develop cited as a reason for not doing this before
Flexibility in design important for uptake (constructive alignment)
Assessment, content, delivery, extensions
Wiki a useful tool to organise group work and provide ongoing feedback
Learning and understanding perceived to have improved
Exam in one trial
Assessment (workshop based) is more time consuming

17. Evaluation: Students On the context:
“It makes you feel like an actual scientist rather than just a student following a set of instructions on a sheet” [Environmental Trial 1]
“Good way to learn – makes a change from the format most other modules take” [Nanomaterials 1]
“I found it exciting and rewarding to develop a novel compound and really enjoyed the challenge” [Medicinal 3]
Lot of work involved, should not be done for more than one module in a year [Medicinal 3]

18. Evaluation: Students On wikis:
93% preferred wikis to paper, although 67% had technical difficulties. [Medicinal 1]
“Editing of others work can be difficult if they do not upload their material in a timely fashion.” [Medicinal 2]
“Wiki presentation did not work.” [Nanochemistry 2]

19. Evaluation: Students On learning:
“Confidence in medicinal chemistry increased”. [Medicinal 1 & 2]
“It has been an absolutely fantastic learning curve, I have gained so much confidence in just being able to plan an experiment and work out where and why it’s gone wrong. Which is definitely something until now I haven’t experienced before in my degree.” [Environmental 1]

20. Evaluation: Students On transferable skills:
“Working in a team was a good experience for me as I enjoyed it at times, but sometimes I felt other members took over rather than sharing the workload” [Medicinal 3]
“Did not see how [debate] was relevant to course of career in future!” [Nanochemistry 2]
“The main skill I have picked up here is problem solving.” [Environmental 1]

21. Conclusions
Four C/PBL resources developed and will be available on
Resources provide context and develop transferable skills explicitly – can relate to graduate attributes
Feedback from tutors positive – flexibility in delivery and technical support key aspects
Feedback from students positive – clarification on assessment and technical barriers main support requirements

22. Acknowledgements
Dr Claire Mc Donnell & Dr Sarah Rawe (Academic Developers)
Dr Brigid Lanigan & Mr Damien Coman (Research Assistants)
Dr Luke O’Neill, Focas Research Institute
Trial teams, external evaluator, and their students
RSC HE-STEM funding programme
School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, DIT