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Program Director:
Dr. Philip Gordon
Associate Professor
MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine
Precollege and Undergraduate Science Education
1505 Race Street
Philadelpia, PA 19102
2157626498
pgordon@mcphu.edu
The links below describe the outcomes and challenges this grantee experienced and what resources they are willing to share.
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In 1994 HHMI awarded Allegheny University of the Health Sciences $250,000 to introduce problem-based learning (PBL) to public school students in Philadelphia. The goal is to motivate and empower innercity minority students to pursue careers in the health professions. The strategy is to employ PBL to motivate the student's learning in science and mathematics. PBL is a method used with ever- increasing frequency in health sciences education. Key features of PBL include (1) the learning process starts with the students being confronted by a realistic and complex problem, (2) the students work in small groups (five to eight students each in this program), (3) the process is student centered in that the students navigate their own path through the problem, (4) the process is facilitated by someone knowledgeable about the specific case and the PBL process, (5) and the process is reiterative: without specific prior preparation, the students approach the problem, decide what learning is needed, disband to pursue the needed learning, and reconvene and share with the group the results of their research. At subsequent meetings, more of the problem is presented, and the cycle of learning is repeated. The project works to develop curriculum for use in classrooms, develop teachers to deliver PBL through both preservice and in-service opportunities and provide experience for public school students.
We have shown that problem-based learning is an effective means of motivating these students to learn science. Model one involves the use of PBL as an extracurricular activity. We have developed this model for use in our summer research program. In our summer research program one afternoon per week of PBL is mixed with four days of basic science laboratory research and one morning of didactic teaching. The PBL is rated by the students as their favorite aspect of the summer program. Model II involves the use of college students as small group facilitators and research mentors. In this model, students come to the medical school campus one afternoon per week throughout the school year. Medical students facilitate small-group learning and assist the students with their self-directed learning. This year we expanded to include a second high school, William Penn High School to our program. As part of this program we have developed authentic assessments and reinforcement activities which enhance student motivation. The third model involves PBL within a public school managed only by school staff. This model has been developed at Stoddart-Fliesher Middle School. To permit the use of facilitated small-groups, the whole staff, including administrators, teachers, nursing, clerical and security staff all serve as facilitators of small-groups. Though the most challenging to implement the third model has the largest potential for school reform, as it requires no additional resources beyond faculty training.
This year in collaboration with Stoddart-Fliesher Middle School we offered a workshop for teachers in the School District of Philadelphia. Twenty-one teachers participated and found the method promising.
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