A Study of the Impacts of a Web-based Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Tool on Teaching and Learning

The Pogil Project, Lancaster PA

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by enhancing an existing web-based platform that supports teaching and student learning in team learning contexts. Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) is an evidence-based approach to teaching and learning in which students work in teams on specifically designed activities facilitated by instructors. It has been shown that POGIL can reduce student attrition and improve student understanding. However, instructors can be hesitant to adopt POGIL due to a lack of training, the significant development time for creating POGIL activities, and the lack of effective support tools for facilitating and monitoring student team activity. This project will train and support instructors to implement POGIL learning activities using the web-based platform and the activities in their courses. This study will examine how instructors use the platform in their classes, how the platform affects student behavior during the activities, and how the platform affects student motivation and learning. This project will support a set of instructors as they migrate their activities and classes into the platform, which can be used in face-to-face, hybrid, or online settings. The goal of this project is to advance the adoption of POGIL activities in STEM courses so that students will have better learning outcomes. The team learning approach supported by this project is grounded in the theory of social constructivism. Students learn STEM concepts as they interact with their peers and the instructor in the context of a well designed activity that engages students in active learning. The team plans to recruit, train, and support 14 POGIL practitioners from multiple STEM disciplines and contexts to adapt, pilot, and assess learning activities. New capabilities will be implemented for an existing web-based platform that will provide rich feedback and access to numerous learning activities. The project will address three research questions: (1) How do instructors use the platform to support their implementation of POGIL? (2) How does the POGIL implementation affect student behavior during the POGIL activities? (3) How does using POGIL with the platform affect student motivation and learning? These questions will be answered by analyzing interviews, surveys, student performance data, and platform usage data. An activity migration rubric will be developed and validated to assess how well the platform supports each POGIL activity and identify when changes are needed to the platform to address limitations, enhance accessibility, and add new capabilities. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.