- What exactly IS PBL? How is it implemented? How much time does it take? What kind of resources are needed to incorporate PBL methods?
(Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a type of pedagogy that involves the student in the discovery of knowledge while seeking solutions to an ill-structured problem. The teacher assumes the role of facilitator--a "guide on the side"--rather than of absolute expert--"sage on the stage." It involves active, collaborative learning on the part of students. To implement PBL faculty and students alike need to be trained. Faculty need to learn how to teach using interactive methods, not the traditional lecture. Faculty also need to learn how to structure problems that are appropriate for this kind of learning. Students need to learn that their participation is critical and that they can learn valuable information from each other as well as from the professor. The time involved in using PBL teaching techniques is greater than that involved in traditional lecture approaches. However, the amount of time is directly related to the specific nature of the problem used, the students' prior knowledge, the professor's expectations about an "appropriate" problem solution. The resources required to incoproate PBL methods range across the entire spectrum of knowledge and problem-solving resources in general. Students can use traditional resources such as print media, telecommunications, data bases, people--disciplinary experts or individuals who have lived the relevant history (for oral history problems, etc.) and so on. In the 1990s, students will ideally have access to the Internet and the World Wide Web to use the proliferating resources "out there."
- 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?
PBL has been used most frequently in medical schools, colleges of business administration, law schools, K-12 education and to some extent in educational leadership and in international relations. These schools and disciplines are similar to ours insofar as they require the ability to apply key concepts and basic knowledge to solve problems. Students in any discipline must be able to communicate orally and in writing effectively, they must be able to work collaboratively in groups, they must be able to think critically using basic information and concepts from the discipline. The simple answer to the last of these questions is, no.
- What are some good examples of PBL problems and what characteristics do they have in common?
Medical diagnostics, labor-management negotiations, international environmental problems, and foreign policy case studies all work as good examples PBL problems. All PBL problems are "snapshots" of real, ill-structured situations which imperfect information--sometimes not enough and sometimes irrelevant to the problem. The facilitator (teacher) musts have content expertise to evaluate the quality of the student-derived solutions. Moreover, the facutly person will need to help manage or guide the solution-finding process. PBL situations are interdisciplinary and require pieces of information and concepts from a variety of sources to solve effectively. Good PBL classes will enhance students' ability to transfer these problem-solving skills to new situations in the future. Students will be able to find and apply the information to solve new 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?
Students must be able to read or hear a situation and be able to identify the problem which needs to be solved. Then, they must be able to clarify what they do know from the presentation materials, what they need to know, where to find what they need, and how to use the information they find to solve the problem. To do these things successfully, students must be able to think analytically, synthetically, and evaluatively. Students must also have good interpersonal skills to be able to work as a team with joint responsibilities.
- How inter-disciplinary can PBL be?
PBL is, by definition, very interdisciplinary.
- Is PBL implemented the same everywhere?
No. PBL is used differently depending on the creativity of the faculty using the technique and according to disciplinary needs.
- Is PBL a complete success? A partial success? What are its weaknesses?
Nothing is a complete success. However, it is an overwhelming success in most cases when impelemented correctly. Its weaknesses lie primarily in the concerns faculty have about the time it takes away from content learning.
- 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?
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- In Bridges' book, Problem Based Learning for Administrators, he describes criteria for evaluating pupils--what are some practical suggestions you could incoporate?
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- How does PBL compare to traditional instruction?
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- 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?
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- What kinds of learners are best suited to PBL? How do students feel about PBL?
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- The Bottom Line: Should universities adopt PBL for use in all classes? Will you?
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