What's the Problem?: Student-Centered Learning in Social Sciences Library Instruction

Abstract

This poster will present the results of a study testing the effectiveness of Problem Based Instruction (PBI) in library workshops for social science undergraduate and graduate students at George Mason University. In PBI, instructors supply a scenario (the problem) which requires students to think critically, conduct research, and apply their new and prior knowledge to that problem. The problem is not an application of concepts conveyed in a lecture; rather, it is the event through which learning occurs. PBI is a student-centered, active learning approach to education that facilitates learning through self-discovery. This study builds on the growing interest in innovative instruction models within academic libraries. It takes social science classes as a test case because the subject areas (international relations and criminology) lend themselves to the creation of immediately relatable problem scenarios for instruction. Students bring to the classroom ideas and experiences about the social and political world, and PBI allows students to build on, explore, and question that background. The poster will first outline the educational theory behind PBI. It will then describe and assess the implementation of PBI in for library instruction in conflict resolution and criminology classes. Data show high levels of student engagement, evidence that learning objectives were met, and strong faculty support. Poster graphics will include sample problems, images created by students to document the learning process, and figures summarizing assessment data.