Treffer: Navigating the Transition: Problem-Based Learning as Technical Writing Pedagogy

This article reports on an IRB approved multi-semester qualitative study investigating student experiences during the challenging transition to Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in a technical writing (TW) course. The primary purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of specific strategies utilized to facilitate this transition and to develop practical principles for instructors implementing PBL. Transitional strategies include: a structured, recursive PBL framework (based on Hmelo-Silver's cycle), a four-day cyclical schedule, incremental assignments, and a questioning strategy deriving answers from the problem description. Utilizing thematic analysis of student interviews, reflections, and researcher field notes, this research identifies initial student frustration and uncertainty largely stemming from a perceived lack of direct instruction and concerns regarding assessment standards. While these transitional strategies produced some benefits, they did not eliminate student frustration and uncertainty. However, findings also reveal that strategically implemented, collaboratively created checklists (functioning as contract grading) and required peer reviews provided crucial support, mitigating anxieties and fostering deeper engagement. Furthermore, PBL encouraged creative expression in assignments and facilitated functional, contextualized discussions of grammar and mechanics. This research offers practical principles for TW instructors seeking to ease student transition into PBL, thereby maximizing its potential pedagogical benefits.

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