Coordinator: Dr. Deepa Chari, Dr. Reema Mani, Tripti Bameta and others
04Wed
Coordinator: Dr. Ankush Gupta
05Thu
Coordinator: Prof. Jyotsna Vijapurkar
Ms. Sujatha Varadarajan
With a widely recognized need for shifting the current expository laboratory instruction style to the inquiry-based approaches, the literature indicates that scaffolds are important, especially for problem-based learning (PBL) environment. Problem-based learning advocates students’ self-directed and independent learning. In our study, we planned multiple scaffolds such as a precursor task, reading material, group discussion, and Science Writing Heuristics (SWH) template to facilitate the problem-based Learning task on indigo dyeing waste-water treatment. The objective of the study was to explore how scaffolds integrated within the problem-based learning approach contributed to the four learning stages of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. We analyzed students’ experimental design and the flow chart of their plans for execution of the task to understand their abstract conceptualization. To understand the effectiveness of the scaffolds in initiating reflective thinking, we used the audio recorded verbal report of the knowledge gaps, reasoning, and revision of their plans. In the presentation, I propose to discuss the implementation of the problem-based learning module in two different settings, in a regular college at Pune and in the NIUS camp held at HBCSE. I will also discuss how students responded to scaffolds, particularly highlighting the group-discussions which encouraged reflective thinking for the emergence of an effective student-plan for the PBL task.