This study was conducted with the purpose of developing a community problem-solving–oriented instructional model that enables university instructors to systematically design and implement courses in which community issues are placed at the center of...
This study was conducted with the purpose of developing a community problem-solving–oriented instructional model that enables university instructors to systematically design and implement courses in which community issues are placed at the center of learning, and of validating the model’s appropriateness. In recent years, higher education has increasingly emphasized the development of students’ capacities to understand and address complex social and community problems, moving beyond knowledge transmission–centered instruction. In particular, community issues are ill-structured in nature, involving multiple stakeholders and contextual factors. Therefore, instructional designs are required that support learners in experientially engaging in the processes of exploring and solving problems within authentic contexts.
However, existing problem-solving–oriented instructional approaches—such as problem-based learning, project-based learning, service-learning, and action learning—have generally been applied at the level of individual courses or short-term projects. As a result, these approaches have limitations in presenting the entire process of community problem-solving as an integrated instructional structure that encompasses the establishment of community partnerships, stakeholder collaboration, and post-implementation evaluation and feedback.
In response, this study sought to structure the actual processes of community problem-solving into an educational sequence and to develop an instructional model that incorporates a role system enabling collaborative participation among instructors, learners, and community partners. To achieve this purpose, the following research questions were formulated:
First, how are the stages and sub-elements of an instructional model for community problem-solving courses structured?
Second, what are the roles of key stakeholders—instructors, learners, and community partners—in a community problem-solving–oriented instructional model for higher education?
Third, is the developed instructional model valid from the perspectives of experts and actual users?
This study employed a design and development research methodology and was conducted through the following procedures. First, a review of relevant literature and an analysis of university-level community-engaged course cases were conducted to identify key elements required for community problem-solving instruction. Based on these findings, an initial instructional model was proposed. Next, an expert Delphi study was conducted to examine and refine the structure, stages, and sub-elements of the initial model, and the model was revised based on expert feedback. Subsequently, expert reviews and user-based evaluations were carried out to verify the model’s validity and practical applicability, and the final model was established by incorporating the evaluation results.
The results of the study yielded a six-stage instructional model with 17 sub-elements that translates the entire process of community problem-solving into instructional procedures. The final model consists of the following stages: establishment of community partnership foundations, pre-instructional preparation, problem exploration and definition, solution development, implementation and application, and evaluation and feedback. Each stage includes specific sub-elements that enable practical course design and implementation in higher education contexts. In addition, the model presents clearly defined roles for instructors, learners, and community partners, ensuring that collaborative interactions essential to community problem-solving function within the instructional process. The model was evaluated as having clear stages and sub-elements that support practical use in course design and implementation, and was thus confirmed as an effective instructional model applicable to higher education settings.
This study is significant in that it integrates key processes required in real-world community problem-solving—such as partnership formation, stakeholder collaboration, and post-implementation evaluation and feedback—into a coherent instructional framework. Through this integration, the study provides practical guidance for instructors designing and implementing community problem-solving courses, and contributes to structuring learning experiences in which students explore, solve, and reflect on problems within authentic contexts. Nevertheless, as this study was conducted within a limited context, future research is needed to expand the model’s applicability through case studies and implementation research across diverse disciplines and educational environments, as well as through examinations of its long-term effects.