SALTISE Renowned Scholars Series – Dr. Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver
In problem-based learning (PBL), students work in small groups to tackle meaningful problems or tasks. This form of collaborative learning actively engages students in their own learning, with the teacher acting as a facilitator in the process. Early in her career, Cindy was impressed by the power of structured whiteboards and other representations to enhance student learning. Her initial work involved medical students, each group consisting of 4-6 students with a single instructor. To implement PBL models more widely, technology support shows great promise. Cindy has dedicated much of her career to developing representations that foster the types of interactions that initially inspired her. In this presentation, she discusses how PBL has been integrated into various contexts, the technological tools that have supported it, and the lessons learned along the way.
Dr. Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver is the Barbara B. Jacobs Chair in Education and Technology, Distinguished Professor of Learning Sciences, and Director of the Center for Research on Learning and Technology in the School of Education of Indiana University. Her research focuses on how people learn about complex phenomena and how technology can help support that learning. She studies problem-based learning, collaborative engagement, and computer supported collaborative learning. She is a co-PI on the NSF Institute Institute for Engaged Learning Dr. Hmelo-Silver is an International Society for the Learning Sciences inaugural fellow as well as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Educational Research Association and International Society for Design and Development in Education.
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