Abstract:

Designing and implementing learning experiences that unravel racial equity and foster spaces for students to explore their identities and make connections between content and community is extremely critical in Physics where there is a systemic diversity problem. Here we present an innovative educational approach that aims at bridging the PBL and VC frameworks to develop modules for Physics Curriculum. Through this approach the students are empowered to innovate with impact with their PBL projects, become engaged in their learning, and invested in their community and the people within it.

This innovative educational approach has been implemented in the academic year 2022-2023 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the Introductory Physics with Calculus (Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism) classes. We will present concrete PBL and VC activities, and show how implementing them in the curriculum can lead to meaningful engagement of STEM students with physics concepts. Our preliminary results show that bridging the PBL and VC frameworks is:
(1) key to the student education in this fast-developing technological era where innovation with impact is critical and
(2) serves as a vehicle for both equity and inclusion as students through their projects become more engaged in their learning and invested in their community. We believe that this innovative educational approach will shift the teaching and learning of Physics and will contribute to improving the skills of students necessary for the 22nd century STEM fields.

Keywords:

Innovation, Problem Based Learning, Value Creation, Curriculum Development.