Problem-Based Learning Approaches in Meteorology

ABSTRACT

Problem-Based Learning, despite recent controversies about its effectiveness, is used extensively as a teaching method throughout higher education. In meteorology, there has been little attempt to incorporate Problem-Based Learning techniques into the curriculum. Motivated by a desire to enhance the reflective engagement of students within a current field course module, this project describes the implementation of two test Problem-Based Learning activities and testing and improvement using several different and complementary means of evaluation. By the end of a 2-year program of design, implementation, testing, and reflection and re-evaluation, two robust, engaging activities have been developed that provide an enhanced and diverse learning environment in the field course. The results suggest that Problem-Based Learning techniques would be a useful addition to the meteorology curriculum and suggestions for courses and activities that may benefit from this approach are included in the conclusions.

Key words: :

• problem-based learning
• meteorology

Acknowledgments

This project could not have been completed without the help and support of a number of academic colleagues at the Universities of Leeds and Reading who participated in the field course and the PBL activities described. I would like to thank Peter Knippertz, Jim McQuaid, and Andrew Ross at the University of Leeds and Janet Barlow, Sylvia Bohnenstengel, Julien Delanoe, Ellie Highwood, Dan Kirshbaum, John Nicol, and Curtis Wood at the University of Reading. Special thanks are given to Mat Evans (Leeds, now at the University of York) who cowrote the ozonesonde activity. This project was carried out as part of the University of Reading, Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice program for new academics, under the supervision of Nina Brooke who made valuable comments that improved the project and manuscript.

FIGURE 1: Kolb learning cycle (after Kolb, 1984).

TABLE I: Maastricht model of PBL tutorials (after Gijselaers, 1995).

TABLE II: Results of student survey of PBL activities following implementation in Year 1 (2009). Marks are awarded by participants on a scale of 1–10, with 1 being the highest mark. Statistics are based on 18 student surveys and 4 staff surveys for the ozonesonde activity, and 3 student surveys and 2 staff surveys for the observing system activity.

TABLE III: Results of student survey of PBL activities following implementation in Year 2 (2010). Marks are awarded by participants on a scale of 1–10, with 1 being the highest mark. Statistics are based on 21 student surveys and 3 staff surveys for the ozonesonde activity, and 5 student surveys and 2 staff surveys for the observing system activity.

Notes

² The island of Arran is the largest island (167 square miles) in the Firth of Clyde, WSW of Glasgow.