- What exactly IS PBL? How is it implemented? How much time does it take? What kind of resources are needed to incorporate PBL methods?
PBL is a learning process which involves students in an active, collaborative, student centered learning environment. It challenges students to work with complex real-world problems in a self-educational mode which will build life-long learning appreciation and skills.
PBL is implemented through several phases. First, students are given a well constructed problem, related to the course material, and present in the real world. Students then analyze the problem, based on their current knowledge and form a plan to gather information necessary to further their understanding. The next phase involves the students in the discovery of resources and a self-guided gathering of information, data, expertise, and general insight into their problem. In the final phase, students apply their information to further their analysis of the problem, working towards integrating their skills, collective perceptions, and knowledge-bases to construct plausible solutions based on their analyses and collective understanding. PBL requires time appropriate to the learning objectives in a given situation. The resources necessary to incorporate PBL methods include, but are certainly not limited to, Web sites, audio-visual, personal interviews, library searches, current knowledge, media sources (t.v., newspapers, magazines, journals, texts). In terms of instructor preparation, one would need access to the media necessary for students to achieve goals, as well as the skills necessary to work with the media and guide students through their projects.
- What has the experience been at other schools/disciplines where it has been tried? How are those schools/disciplines similar to yours? Are those schools/disciplines so different that it's unlikely that PBL would be doable in your situation?
It appears that popular opinion favors PBL in general.
- What are some good examples of PBL problems and what characteristics do they have in common?
Presenting students with a science mystery and giving them information and the tools to do the investigation: textual, video, inages, charts, maps, calculator, database of information, notebooks to gather their information, etc.
Asking students to put together a business plan for a fund-raising project.
Case studies for medical students.
PBL problems seem to be best suited for group work, the sharing of ideas, possibilities, questions, information and collaboration. The benefit of the group environment comes from the multiple perspectives, different learning styles, and the combined efforts of the group members.
Need to be relevant problems to the students. Need to be complex rather than simple one answer only type of problems.
- What kind of activities do students do while engaged in a PBL project? What kinds of thinking skills and collaboration skills do they develop?
Researching, speaking, collaborating, critical thinking, applying previous knowledge, writing, debating (argumentation skills), group dynamics. Better retention of information, better time management, better application of previously learned information and experience, group/team skills, self-directed learning skills.
- How inter-disciplinary can PBL be?
VERY! Mathematics, geology, art history, medicine, physiology, biology, physics, engineering, radiation safety, optometry, chemical engineering.
- Is PBL implemented the same everywhere?
No. Some is vague and some more structured.
- Is PBL a complete success? A partial success? What are its weaknesses?
No, partial success. Review of research: (1) learning in a PBL format may initially reduce levels of learning (this may be due to the difficulty in determining what students learned using traditional competence measures), but may foster, over periods up to several years, increased retention of knowledge; (2) some preliminary evidence suggests that PBL curricula may enhance both transfer of concepts to new problems and integration of basic science concepts into clinical problems; (3) PBL enhances intrinsic interest in the subject matter; and (4) PBL appears to enhance self-directed learning skills (metacognition), and this enhancement may be maintained (Norman & Schmidt).
Weaknesses:
*Students familiar with the traditional "talk and chalk" classroom are likely to be uncomfortable with the PBL format for some time. It will be up to the teacher to convince
students that they are researchers looking for information and solutions to problems that
may not have one "right answer." Here are likely problems:* Students will want to know
what they really have to do to get their grade. They will expect the teacher to prescribe a
number of tasks, events, concepts, and a set "number of pages" for written products.
* Those students adept at "book learning" may feel uncomfortable in PBL roles in which
they have to conduct research, coordinate with peers, and generate unique products. These
students' parents may express some concern when their son or daughter isn't comfortable
with this new environment.
* Ownership. Students must feel that this is their problem, otherwise they'll spend their
time figuring out and delivering exactly what the teacher wants.
Institutional: most classes are not setup to be interdisciplinary.
- What is the philosophy that underlies the design of PBL? How is it congruent with the goals of a good education and the characteristics of an ideal learning environment?
PBL is used to engage students in learning. This is based on several theories in
cognitive theory. Two prominent ones are that students work on problems perceived as meaningful
or relevant and that people try to fill in the gaps when presented with a situation they do not readily understand. Teachers present students with a problem set, then student work-groups analyze the problem, research, discuss, analyze, and produce tentative explanations, solutions, or
recommendations. It is essential to PBL that students do not possess sufficient prior knowledge to address the problem. In the initial discussion, students develop a set of questions that need to be addressed. These questions then become the objectives for students' learning.
PBL is congruent with the goals of a good education because it encourages interdisciplinary thinking and skills which are useful throughout life. Active learning is the ideal learning environment.
- In Bridges' book, Problem Based Learning for Administrators, he describes criteria for evaluating pupils--what are some practical suggestions you could incorporate?
1995 version: mechanisms for evaluating are direct observation, assessment of the final product, formal knowledge review exercises, integrative essays.
Relevant knowledge, problem solving skills, skill at implementing solutions, group skills, self-directed learning skills, time management skills.
List objectives; what's the final output?
Verstehen Sie?
- How does PBL compare to traditional instruction?
Active versus Passive. Cooperative versus competitive. Dynamic versus static. Group versus individual. Changes the role of the instructor: Conductor versus Composer.
- What kinds of teachers can use PBL? What kind of personality or other qualities do they need? How do teachers feel about PBL after they have done it for awhile?
Comfortable being "guide on the side" versus the "sage on the stage." Must have a tolerance for ambiguity. Willing to allow the students to discover things you didn't know (i.e. no more fountain of knowledge).
- What kinds of learners are best suited to PBL? How do students feel about PBL?
Investigators, comfortable with more than one solution, problem-solvers, learners who like going into greater depths of a subject.
Student comments include: PBL cultivates an environment that fosters learning rather than competition -- the grading for my
physiology class was based upon both individual and group work. In addition,
preparing material for each class meeting prevented me from procrastinating and cramming for
tests.
In addition to being a very effective teaching method, PBL changed the way I approach my research
projects. I have learned to be a more effective and efficient worker. Consequently, I am more
productive and have more free time than I have had in the past.
-- Ed Quigley (EGGR)
- The Bottom Line: Should universities adopt PBL for use in all classes? Will you?
Yep!!! Depends.
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