A call from educators to transform the way we teach undergraduates in science, especially in introductory courses, has been slow to change practices, even though studies demonstrate that active learning strategies, cross-disciplinary teaching, and team- and problem-based approaches promote student engagement and satisfaction as well as improve student learning and information retention. Translational science education is an opportunity to do just this and engage a transdisciplinary approach that requires students to be active problem-solvers who are engaged with stakeholders. In the Great Problems Seminars (GPS) Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) students work in teams to solve complex contemporary problems in food, health, education, energy, environment, and water sustainability. In the GPS program, faculty from STEM fields teach with faculty from the humanities or social sciences. Each brings their expertise to the topic of the course promoting an integrative approach. Along with discipline-oriented outcomes, these courses teach skills such as research, evidence-based writing, presenting, effective collaboration, complex problem solving, consideration of how different communities experience problems. These courses introduce first-year students to the practice of translating information for meaningful actions and can insert environmental principles and ecological awareness as necessary components of solving complex global issues.
Results/Conclusions
In 2012, WPI’s GPS courses were recognized by the National Academy of Engineering as a model program that successfully “infused real world experiences into engineering education.” A result of the approach of these courses is that students become more comfortable with ambiguous and thorny problems that do not have simple textbook solutions. Through building competencies in this way, we provide the opportunity for students to learn, develop, and practice multiple forms of translation (including presentations, posters, and reports) of their projects. Over the past 11 years, the GPS program has taught >2500 students who have completed >500 projects in real-world social and environmental issues that represent challenges they will face throughout their careers. Our program targets first-year students because skills developed in GPS courses lead to improved confidence and performance in their college curriculum (e.g., global community engagement projects in the junior year). In our talk we will highlight the structure of courses, provide examples and best practices of key translational aspects involved, and highlight projects that exemplify bridging theory and practice.