Could Faculty Development Initiatives Like Workshops and Community of Practice Favour the Introduction of a Problem-based Approach in Higher Education? A Case Study

Abstract

This article is dedicated to evaluating the impact of Faculty Development for the introduction of Problem Based Education in higher education. A bachelor's science degree program in Animal Care at the University of Padua has decided to introduce Problem Based Learning in an entire semester, as a first propaedeutic attempt at transforming the entire educational pathway. The transformation process was made possible by several elements: a Faculty Development program that allowed teachers to approach the PBL method and the creation of a Community of Practice (CoP) among the teachers. A preliminary evaluation of the impact of the Faculty Development program was conducted and the article describes some results: Faculty Development initiatives were effective, participants learned meaningfully, and enjoyed formal and in group training activities. Participants increased their motivation to teach according to the PBL approach for an entire semester. Participants were also motivated to create some Faculty Learning Communities (FLC), a special type of CoP in which Faculty members learn informally in group.