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Five Case Studies on Tackling Real-World Problems as a Means to Increase Student Engagement

Five case studies detail teachers and professors who use a real-world problem as the basis for planning and implementing a comprehensive unit of authentic learning experiences aligned with academic content standards, instructed with high levels of rigor, and assessed authentically to determine the extent to which students mastered the standards. The text details how the instructor works with students to identify a meaningful problem, aligns appropriate work products to standards and instructional activities, and adapts the plan to address varying student learning needs. A mixed methods approach used student achievement data, student and teacher interviews, and a student survey. Increases were seen in students' self-efficacy, as well as their abilities to collaborate, communicate both verbally and in writing, engage in higher order thinking, conduct research, apply knowledge to novel circumstances, justify opinions, and assume leadership roles.