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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Holistic, experience-driven education is É«É«À² Michigan University's north star, and a pioneering new partnership will expand opportunities for students to gain resume-worthy experience.

Renowned for its expertise in K-12 education, international professional development leader PBL Works collaborated with É«É«À²x to develop and pilot a four-day Gold Standard PBL Higher Education Certification workshop specifically designed to equip faculty with strategies for implementing engaging, student-centered project-based learning experiences at the post-secondary level. 

"By partnering with PBL Works, we are taking a significant step toward enhancing experiential learning at É«É«À²," says Alyssa Moon, associate director of instructional design and development at É«É«À²x. "This workshop will empower our faculty to create dynamic, student-centered learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom and into the community." 

"This collaboration with É«É«À² is an exciting step for PBL Works as we expand our reach into higher education," adds Bob Lenz, CEO of PBL Works. "We look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have on faculty and students alike."

An inaugural cohort of nearly two-dozen faculty members representing every academic college at É«É«À² completed the transformative certification in August.

"This certification program is a testament to our dedication to innovative teaching practices that prepare students for lifelong success," adds Dr. Jason Glass, associate vice president for teaching and learning at É«É«À²x. 

Impactful implementation

Participating faculty members engaged in a variety of exercises during the workshop aimed at developing a project for their courses and leaving with a fully designed, ready-to-implement PBL project. 

"There are professors from the business school, engineering, economics, even theatre, art and literature, but we are all working toward a common goal: getting students ready for the professional world. The training we're providing them is being able to ask questions, being able to dig deep, being able to research independently. And just teaching by lecturing is not going to help students in a dynamic, changing world," says Dr. Sakif Amin, assistant professor of marketing. 

"I think it's a very important message that all educators can provide students and get them ready for the professional world, so when they hit the ground, they're going to hit it running."

Faculty projects developed in the workshop range from student-driven advertising campaigns to cybersecurity ethics to special education curriculum design. Dr. Rodrigo Aranda, assistant professor of economics, is developing a course about the economics of medical care. He plans to have students think about how lifestyle choices affect their well-being, and then take that a step further to examine how public policies related to lifestyle can impact the well-being of a community.

"How can they use economic analysis and an economic toolkit to come up with solutions that are actionable?" he says. "We may have a student working on smoking policies, for example, or someone could be focusing on physical activity. And the idea is to match them with someone in the field who does research on that or even policymakers to see how their ideas translate to what can be done in the real world."

Amin has seen success through project-based learning in the past and is excited to apply what he's learned in the workshop to ramp up the impact.

"One of the things I have started doing is giving students a project that really matters to them," he says. "They have to think about it and talk to other people and stay motivated throughout the semester. So with the end result, they've actually created something that doesn't just stay within a filing cabinet but it's actually more impactful."

"One thing I learned here is what kind of check point we need to have for learning outcomes and what things we need to keep in mind when designing our coursework," adds Dr. Dinesh Maddipatla, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. "We're doing a lot of industry-driven projects in collaboration with industry and federal agencies, so we can embed this kind of framework in those projects."

Added support

Throughout the academic year, faculty participants will receive support from the É«É«À²x instructional design team with individual and small group and individual follow-ups to help navigate implementation of their projects.

Faculty members say the initiative has sparked more than new ideas for coursework; they've built rapport with colleagues, as well.

"Apart from enhancing experiential learning instruction, we have also made friends," Amin says. "We're building this network within campus and have someone to lean on if we have questions or need support."

"We're able to talk to all these people we've met and share ideas, knowledge and experiences," adds Maddipatla. "It's a wonderful opportunity."

About É«É«À²x

É«É«À²x exists to collaboratively imagine, design and realize ideas that transform and enhance the learning experience at É«É«À² Michigan University. By collaborating with instructors, staff and administrators within the University, É«É«À²x seeks to overcome challenges, seize opportunities and propel academic innovation forward in ways that directly benefit our campus community. 

About PBL Works

PBL Works is a premier provider of professional development and resources for problem-based and project-based learning. With a focus on K-12 education, PBL Works aims to empower educators to create effective and engaging learning experiences that prepare students for success in college, career and life. 

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