Vocational and technical education problem-based learning exercise: Sample scenario

Mathematics is rather important since the analytical approach is the main issue in industrial education. However, the researches showed that the industrial vocational high school students' success in mathematic lessons are low. As a result, student centered education methods should be preferred instead of teacher based education in mathematic lessons. The students do not acquire knowledge by hearth in teacher based methods. When students do not structure the knowledge by themselves, it tends to be forgotten in a short period of time. For this reason the student centered and problem based-learning methods are used in this study and it is aimed to give students meaningful and permanent learning. In problem-based learning (PBL), subjects are introduced to students in scenarios prepared according to real life. In this study "Factorial" was introduced to students in a scenario and students were given to solve the problem in formed groups. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved