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A university’s strategic adoption process of an PBL-aligned eLearning environment: an exploratory case study

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Abstract

Much has been written about the promise and peril of technology in education. This paper presents an empirical study that explores how technology can play a pivotal role in student learning and how teaching staff can adopt innovative technology-based approaches in the creation of interactive online problem-based learning (PBL) resources, allowing students to interact with authentic, complex and realistic problems designed within a framework of PBL methodology. The application of PBL approaches within authentic situated learning contexts has been shown in the literature to deepen student learning outcomes. This paper demonstrates how innovative authoring tools that promote problem-solving skills and the acquisition of domain-specific knowledge were introduced as part of a University-wide elearning strategic blueprint. Overall, student feedback is very positive, with many students commenting on the realism, and even the enjoyment of the online problem simulations. However, major challenges were met in the implementation requiring several support activities across the organisation.

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  1. Partner Regions, Information Multimedia Communication (IMC) AG, Scheer Tower | Uni-Campus Nord, 66123, Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany

    Greg Blackburn

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Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Table 4 Questionnaire answered by undergraduate university students after completion of computerised PBL scenarios
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Table 5 Questionnaire answered by university staff involved in technology-based PBL resources in their courses
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Table 6 Evaluation table used in PBL software product selection
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Table 7 Extract from the university’s operational plan
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Blackburn, G. A university’s strategic adoption process of an PBL-aligned eLearning environment: an exploratory case study. Education Tech Research Dev 65, 147–176 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-016-9472-3

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