Team Problem Solving and Project-Based Learning:
Design and assessment of a multimodal approach to teaching Mathematics for Computer Science

The proposal calls for development and assessment of a flipped classroom with in-class team problem solving used to teach MIT 6.042 – Mathematics for Computer Science. In this environment, one of the topics – probability – will include an element of project-based learning (PBL). The research goal is to investigate how much students' conceptual understanding and problem solving abilities improve using team problem solving, with and without PBL. We expect this proposed study to shed light on important, yet unresolved, questions and issues related to the use of team problem solving enhanced with a significant PBL element. The potential impact of the project at MIT is very significant, as this subject is introductory, and required of half the Course 6 majors.