Problem-Based Learning Assignment

Damon Andrew Smith

College of Education, Georgia Southern University

ITEC 8134: Theories & Models of Instructional Design

Dr. Mete Akcaoglu

Summer 2022
Audience

Richmond Hill High School (RHHS), located in south Bryan County, is a public high
school serving nearly 2,500 students in grades 9-12. As part of a diverse offering of seven Career
& Technical Education (CTE) pathways, RHHS offers Engineering & Technology as a pathway
option for students interested in entering the field as a future career choice. The Engineering &
Technology pathway consists of three courses (Foundations of Engineering & Technology,
Engineering Concepts, Engineering Applications) each designed to build upon and expand
knowledge and information gained from the previous courses. At the completion of Engineering
Applications, students take an End-of-Pathway Assessment (EOPA) that is used as a tool to
measure the success of the overall program. Historically, RHHS Engineering & Technology
students have performed at an extremely high level on the EOPA.
Students taking the first course in the pathway, Foundations of Engineering &
Technology (FET), are introduced to a wide array of engineering careers through a variety of
classroom problem-solving projects. Typically viewed as a course for 9th/10th graders, often the
FET course sees students in grades 9-12 due to scheduling and other issues causing
upperclassmen to also take the class. Because of this, some basic assumptions of students’
cognitive levels can be made. All students enter the course with a basic level of core content
classes already completed. With upperclassmen, those basic levels of completed core content
classes is higher. There is no course prerequisite for students to have any previous knowledge or
experience in an engineering or STEM course, so it cannot be assumed that they have any set
prior knowledge as they start the course. Students will be layering their motor, intellectual, and
other domain skills to complete the course. Learning new science and math concepts is a typical
cognitive expectation for students.

Target Audience: RHHS Foundations of Engineering & Technology students.

The target audience is RHHS Foundations of Engineering & Technology students. Group
statistics include 60 total students enrolled in two separate FET sections. There are 44 males and
16 females. Student grade levels are as follows: 9th grade – 36, 10th grade – 16, 11th grade – 4,
12th grade – 4.

Learning Goal

At the end of the Civil Engineering Unit, all FET students will be able to successfully build a
balsa bridge prototype that holds at least 100 lbs.

Learning Objectives:
1. During creation of their balsa bridge prototype, all FET students will evaluate and select
appropriate truss designs that will enhance the structural integrity of their bridge.
(Intellectual Skills Domain)
2. During work time provided during class, students will demonstrate proper safety
protocols with all tools and machines during the building of their balsa bridge
prototype. (Motor Skills Domain)
 3. In post-testing presentations, students will consistently indicate positive affirmations
about their abilities to perform various roles in group work and choice of truss designs
based on sound engineering theory. (Attitudes Domain)

This project will cover standard STEM-FET-2: Develop an understand of engineering &
technology and describe principal fields of engineering specializations (Civil Engineering)
and identify associated career tracks. (FET Standards found HERE)

Environment

This unit will take place in the RHHS Engineering Lab, which houses a variety of tools and
resources that will be used to achieve the goal of a balsa bridge prototype. First, all the physical
resources needed to construct the bridge are available in abundance to students, including plenty
of 1/8th’’ balsa wood sticks, construction glue, exacto knives, sandpaper/electric sanders, wax
paper, cutting pads, tape, push pins, scissors, graph paper, scales, and an electronic bridge tester.
Second, the lab consists of a variety of technology tools that will be used at various points
throughout the unit, including a Newline Interactive Smartboard, Students Chromebooks, Google
Tools (Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides). The lab’s physical layout allows for students to move
about the classroom to retrieve supplies, as needed. Counter space is divided into 20 workspaces,
allowing students space to work and store their projects during the unit.

Description of Problem-Based Assignment

After being divided into engineering design teams, student groups will be presented with the
following scenario: “The Talmadge Bridge in Savannah, GA has recently been damaged in a
storm! Your engineering design team has been asked to submit a proposal for a replacement
bridge to cross over the Savannah River. City officials are interested in what design upgrades the
new bridge could possibly have! Your task is two-fold:

 Design and create a prototype of your new bridge design using balsa wood. Your
prototype must hold at least 100 lbs. of pressure on the bridge tester. The three bridges
that hold the most weight on the bridge tester will be eligible for extra credit
opportunities on future unit exams.
 Create a presentation of your research (bridge span and width dimensions, expected
usage metrics, expected price, expected cost of upkeep), design justifications, and final
testing numbers to “present” to Savannah city officials.

Assessment

Each design team’s balsa bridge prototype will be tested on the bridge tester, where it will slowly
apply weight until the bridge collapses. The bridge will be scored using the rubric found in
Appendix A. The presentation will be scored using the rubric found in Appendix B.
Justification

This problem-based learning activity incorporates the 5E instructional model in the following
ways:

 Engage: By utilizing a local landmark, students will have immediate interest in the
problem scenario. They will be forced to research the history and specifications of the
bridge to formulate their new enhancement ideas. Videos and Google Earth simulations
of the bridge will also be used to enhance engagement.
 Explore: To fully understand the problem, students will spend time exploring vital
statistics of the bridge, such as daily usage, cost, maintenance costs, etc. Students must
explore various truss designs that will withstand their design criteria for the new bridge
design. The teacher acts as the facilitator, providing all materials needed for student
engagement. Emphasis is placed on various aspects of bridge design, construction, and
testing.
 Explain: Students will explain various aspects of their research and final truss designs in
a presentation at the end of the unit. Students will be required to formulate these
explanations within their individual design teams and defend them to the teacher.
 Elaborate: Students will be able to elaborate on their newfound knowledge by applying
it to the design and construction of their new truss designs. Students will make
connections between their new designs and course content covering basic civil
engineering terminology and concepts. Students will be able to apply their new
knowledge in the design and presentation of their new truss designs.
 Evaluate: Students will be able to evaluate their balsa bridge prototypes after testing
based on weight numbers and evaluation of broken truss pieces. Students will be
evaluated on a series of rubrics. For the balsa bridge prototypes to successfully hold at
least 100 lbs. of weight, students must successfully apply concepts of forces on structures
to their bridge designs.

This problem-based activity also incorporates several aspects of problem-based learning

according to our textbook readings. According to John R. Savery, characteristics of problem-
based learning include, “students must be responsible for their own learning, the problem
simulations must be ill-structured, learning should be integrated from a wide-range of
disciplines, collaboration is essential, a closing analysis of what has been learned from work with
the problem are essential, the problem must have value to the real world, and it must have a
pedagogical base in the curriculum”. It also must “empower learners to conduct research,
integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop a viable solution to a
defined problem’ (Savery, 2018). According to Spencer B. Perry, problem-based learning must
be “student centered” and “integrate real-world situations into the learning experience”. They
also must “draw from multiple content areas” (Perry, 2018).
 References

NASA. (n.d.). The 5e instructional model. NASA. Retrieved June 23, 2022, from
https://nasaeclips.arc.nasa.gov/teachertoolbox/the5e#collapseOne

Perry, S. B. (2018). Project-Based Learning. In R. Kimmons, The Students' Guide to Learning

Design and Research. EdTech Books. Retrieved from
https://edtechbooks.org/studentguide/project-based_learning

Savery, J. R. (2018). Overview of Problem-Based Learning: Definitions and Distinctions. In R.

E. West, Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology: The Past,
Present, and Future of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. EdTech Books.
Retrieved from https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/overview_of_problem-
based_learning

Science, Technology, engineering and mathematics career cluster ... (n.d.). Retrieved June 24,
2022, from
https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/CTAE/Documents/
Engineering-Applications.pdf
 Appendix A

BRIDGE PROJECT RUBRIC

Excellent (5 Good (4 Average (3 Fair (0-2

Points) Points) Points) Points)
Sketch (Team Sketch was Sketch was Sketch was No sketch
submits one complete and missing parts missing parts submitted
complete neat and was sloppy
sketch)
Truss Bridge Bridge is Bridge is Bridge is not Bridge is poor
(Make a symmetrical somewhat very and not
symmetrical symmetrical symmetrical symmetrical
truss bridge)
Design Design was Design did not Design was
matched close to match the never
Design of original sketch; original sketch, original sketch, completed.
Bridge (Final angles were cut most angles bridge was
build of neatly. Glue were cut neatly, sloppily built,
bridge) was not overly and glue was and glue was
used. used properly. everywhere.
Strength Bridge held at Bridge held 60- Bridge held 40- Bridge held 0-
(Must hold at least 100 lbs. or 80 lbs. 60 lbs. 40 lbs.
least 100 lbs.) more
Final Bridge Bridge looked Bridge was Bridge was
Appearance appearance is pretty good. basic and poorly built.
(How bridge awesome. functional.
looks overall)

TOTAL (OUT OF 25) x 2 = _______________________

(Combined with final score of presentation)

 Appendix B

PRESENTATION RUBRIC

Excellent (5 Good (4 Average (3 Fair (0-2

Points) Points) Points) Points)
Project Project Project is Project is
includes all includes most missing more lacking several
Effectiveness material material than two key key elements
needed to gain needed to gain elements. and has
a comfortable a comfortable inaccuracies.
understanding understanding
of the topic. of the topic.
Most of the Content is
content is typically
All content accurate but The content is confusing or
throughout the there is one generally contains more
Content presentation is piece of accurate, but than one
Accuracy accurate. There information one piece of factual error. It
are no factual that might be information is is difficult to
errors. inaccurate. clearly flawed understand the
or inaccurate. topic that was
chosen.
Font formats Font
(e.g., color, formatting has
bold, italic) Font formats been carefully Font
have been have been planned to formatting
Text/ carefully carefully complement makes it very
Formatting planned to planned to the content. It difficult to
enhance enhance may be a little read the
readability and readability hard to read. material.
content.
Students Students Students had Students were
presented the presented many unable to
Presentation material with material but difficulties complete
confidence. could have presenting presentation
been more materials. before the
confident class.
Presentation Presentation Presentation Presentation
has no has 1-2 has 1-2 has more than
Spelling & misspellings or misspellings, grammatical 2 grammatical
Grammar grammatical but no errors but no and/or spelling
errors. grammatical misspellings. errors
errors.
TOTAL (OUT OF 25) x 2 = _______________________ (Combined with final score of bridge)