Overcoming implementation challenges with problem and project based learning in advanced technological education programs within community colleges

Abstract

Community college advanced technological education (ATE) programs need to implement dynamic and innovative curriculum to attract, retain and graduate students who are prepared for the workforce with 21st century skills. Problem and project based learning (PBL) has proven to be an efficacious pedagogical method that accomplishes these goals. The purpose of this study was to investigate how ATE instructors who teach in community colleges describe implementation challenges with PBL and how they overcome such challenges. Four ATE community college instructors, who have implemented PBL and attended PBL specific professional development workshops, participated in this study. An interpretative phenomenological analysis approach was used to examine participants' experiences. Participants expressed initial hesitancy with some of their pedagogical choices while using PBL and that they became more confident after they gained experience implementing the curriculum. Similarly, students' reluctance to PBL transformed into enjoyment after learning through PBL for some time. Additionally, participants found that serving as a guide to students and scaffolding them into PBL helped develop students' trust for the teaching method. Support from administration and professional development also proved significant to participants' implementation of PBL and overcoming implementation challenges. The findings are relevant to ATE community college instructors and administrators seeking to implement PBL. Additional research is needed to explore the role of administrators in the implementation of PBL, implementation challenges in general education courses and to measure outcome expectancy with the use of PBL.