1 Introduction to Problem based Learning – The AAU Way Program for to day, Supervision : Exercise: Role play of a supervising situation Lunch Planning a project work Supervision Unfinished or unanswered questions Assessment of course

2 Role-play Six role plays/advising situations that describe various group situations will be held. The particular topics the groups will work with and where the group work will take place will not be stated in advance but is chosen by the group, e.g. your project from yesterday. The role plays illustrate an advisor meeting. The group will have already given an agenda to the advisor (which topic the group wants discussed at the advisor meeting) played by a person from another group. The group's members assign roles between themselves, so that the outlined situation in the role play occurs. Each role play lasts approximately 20 minutes. Each play is commented by 6 observers.

3 Lunch until 12.45

4 Ideas of Problem-based Learning As a learner-centred process, problem- based learning meets the learners' interests and as such gives room for developing learning motivation. Furthermore, problem-based learning emphasizes a development of analytic, methodical and transferable skills.

5 Ideas of Project Work + PBL Project work is a way of organizing the learning process that lead to development of abilities to: formulate objectives, aims and goals start and end a project analyse and specify problems or objectives analyse and specify criteria for solution write reports collaborate, organize and plan the working process handle projects manage oneself

6 What is a theme? A framework for teaching and learning an area where technological development and human, social economic and political development are explicitly linked and mutually interact

7 Methodological themes Specification of the overall engineering methods/disciplines to be applied - but not specification of the area of specific engineering to which the method should be applied. There must be possibility to allow a broad range of different areas, e.g.: modelling of dynamic systems design of engineering constructions

8 Problem oriented themes Concentrating on issues which are common to all engineering areas, e.g: working environment, natural resource consumption pollution

9 What is a good theme? Must inspire and motivate the students, pose a challenge Broad to be able to integrate specific technical knowledge Clear description –what is it all about –actuality –state of the art –some of the problems to be solved –technological implications –clear relation to subjects/discipline –project examples

10 Controlling different projects ProblemMethodsResults Assignment Project Supervisor+++ Students+(?)? Subject Project Supervisor(+)+ Students+(?)+ Problem Project Supervisor?(+)? Students+++

11 Gaps Deep under- standing Traditional teaching focused on a broad overview project ??? The student understanding need not remember exemplarity - interdisciplinary ?????

12 Levels of understanding - Bloom Knowledge –memorize Comprehension –translation,interpretation Application –Use, in new situations Analysis –uncover relations between entities Synthesis –Building something new of the entities Evaluation –Judging

13 Planning a project work Conclusion: The project proposals should be in good correspondence with the theme of the semester Propose a problem project if possible

14 Tasks of a supervisor In the beginning of a project: –Help to find appropriate literature –Help establishing contacts with companies ect. –Discussing the project proposal with the students During the whole project period: –Commenting both oral and written presentations/memos/working paper –Continues assessment of the professional level of both group and individual At the end: –examination

15 Tools for supervision Setting learning objectives - Bloom Contracts Students peer assessment Process analysis (only first year) Change of the teaching role towards: –facilitation –dialogue

16 Why Contracts: Create common expectations and clear agreements. Content could be: –face to face meetings? (whenever possible) –how often are you going to have meetings? (once a week) –how long meetings (1 hour) –where? (in the group room) –agenda –chair of the meeting –students own objectives for the period –supervisors objectives for the period –areas of response to the Aworking during the period: Language, structure, details, methods –external contacts –response to the group process

17 An example: project supervision Prepare the meeting by reading the working papers, reflecting the project structure and details, and formulate your own objectives for the meeting. let the students be responsibly of the agenda start discussing the agenda points in mind: –the contract (formative evaluation) –external contacts –the structure of the project –the working process Ask questions about the content of the working papers

18 Tasks for a group meeting Planning tasks Subject tasks Social aspect where in the process? where in the educational progress? which type of project? types of students, experienced project managers, good or poor, social aspect Depending on:

19 Characteristics for a well functioning group: Common goal or objectives Agreement about group standards The members ”plays” all the necessary roles All group members respect the others

20 Co-operation: group classification IntegratedInstrumentalHierarchicChaotic Role castingAllSome No Work sharingAllSome No Control/LeadershipAllYesFewNo PowerEqualEqual/?UnequalNo Personal EngagementHighFairDifferentLow Group identityHighLow Conflict solvingYesNo

21 Form of Supervision Focus on Process Focus on Product Control Supervision Laissez-faire Supervision

22 Form of Supervision - 1 Focus on Process: Sees the project as a cognitive process Facilitates co-operation in the group Starts reflexive processes Asks facilitating (reflexive) questions in stead of pointing out solutions

23 Form of Supervision - 2 Focus on Product: Focus on theoretical knowledge Focus on solutions, which is often given Project report must be coherent The product/construction (or part of) should be finished

24 Form of Supervision - 3 Control Supervision: The group are tested Thinks on the exam The project period is one long exam Is interested in the knowledge of the individual student

25 Form of Supervision - 4 Laissez-faire Supervision: The group are left to them selves Lack of engagement General and occasional comments Uses minimal time

26 What might go wrong in the co-operation between supervisor and group ?

27 Different expectations Students expectations Study guide objectives Supervisors expectations Project and documentation

28 Students opinions on supervision Good Supervision: Overview in chaos Cut through in critical situations Solutions are not presented by the supervisor Ask facilitating questions The group is not controlled by the supervisor but by the group it self Supervisor is well prepared and well informed

29 Students opinions on supervision Poor Supervision: Supervisor does not express opinions about affective questions Supervisor does not give constructive feed back/criticism Lack of interest in the project and/or the students The supervisor has poor knowledge about the students’ work and work process Supervisor takes ownership of the project and controls the students’ learning process

30 Roles of the supervisor – good or poor ? The group member – discipline oriented supervision with focus on product –Takes over responsibility for the project work –Very active in choice of theory and methods –Gives answers in stead of asking questions The visitor – both discipline and problem oriented supervision with focus on process –Stands on the sideline, ready to kick or withdraw –Points out directions where to seek answers –The students own the project The consultant – discipline or problem oriented laissez-fair supervision –Only activated on request –Only answers the questions asked –leave all decisions, planning and control to the group

31 Facilitator interventions summarizing mirroring asking open-ended questions use why, how, what, where dynamic list of question feedback as rethinking loudly

32 What about students cooperation? How can the supervisor find out - and what to do? ask to the way the students organize the work and discuss the working process ask to special project functions discuss objectives for the organizational aspects individual consultations feel the atmosphere - be present let the student discuss try to involve all the students

33 What about students cooperation? - 2 Put on the students agenda when starting the project: level of ambitions how to share the work discipline of meetings how to solve conflicts social relation

34 Assessment of course This was good/usefull: 1.Bdkabdjgme _______________ 2.Jhfsohfhfjlfjfj _______________ 3.Bfhfhajjjljhhk _______________ This needs to be improved or could be left out: 1.Bfkbfkhnfnlk _______________ 2.Bvjsfghfglnlh _______________ 3.Gbehfhthkjkj _______________