Adaptive teaching strategies to improve student learning in problem-based learning environments

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of adaptive teaching strategies and resource allocation to enhance training in cooperative learning settings. The Biology Sleuth is a multi-media learning environment developed as a testbed to vary the distribution of critical resources and the use of teaching strategies, and to study their effects on group dynamics and individual learning. Students work in a cooperative environment, aided by various resources including a knowledge-base, each other, the software, and the teacher. This study examines the effects of two teaching and resource allocation strategies in this environment and suggests these strategies can have a large impact on both group dynamics and individual learning.