Investigating PBL: A Webquest
Mike Blazey
Philip Chong
Hal Glicksman
Diane Martell
What follows is our group's answers to the questions raised in the
Ivestigating PBL exercise on Thursday, June 13, 1996.
1. What exactly IS PBL?
Problem-Based Learning Defined: Finkle and Torp (1995)
state that "problem-based learning is a curriculum development and
instructional system that simultaneously develops both problem
solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills by
placing students in the active role of problem solvers confronted with
an ill-structured problem that mirrors real-world problems" (p. 1).
Specific tasks in a problem-based learning environment include:
* determining whether a problem exists;
* creating an exact statement of the problem;
* identifying information needed to understand the problem;
* identifying resources to be used to gather information;
* generating possible solutions;
* analyzing the solutions; and
* presenting the solution, orally and/or in writing.
In summary, a problem is given to a group to solve. The problem need not be well-structured. The group begins to solve the problem based on what they know or are curious about. The group identifies what they need to know and go out to find the solution, the return as a group to discuss and evaluate.
How is it implemented?
An excellent resource for implementing PBL from which the above information was obtained can be accessed from Wheeling Jesuit College and is titled Goals and Objectives of Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
With regard to teaching large class sections, Linda Dion, a Biology Professor, writes in About Teaching #50, A Newsletter of the Center for Teaching Effectiveness, Spring 1996 that organization and structure are critical.
Organization
The personal organization of the instructor (including what is
communicated both verbally and non-verbally) and the organization of
the classroom during a PBL session are paramount to the success of a
large PBL class. Anyone who might be tempted to stroll semi-prepared
into a lecture, knowing he/she can carry it through, should think
twice about doing this for a PBL class. If you want students to
endorse this process as sincerely as you do, and use their time as
efficiently, you MUST, and I repeat, MUST, be thoroughly organized and
prepared. This includes the following:
- Clearly define your purpose for doing PBL, the procedures you
will use, and your expectations - do this BEFORE your first PBL
session.
- Assign students to groups by an arbitrary method (such as
alphabetically) and distribute the list of assignments to students the
class period before the first PBL session. Four students per group is
a good size. The list should show all groups, numbered, and all
members of each group. (Note: Group assignments do not preclude the
option of forming spontaneous groups of two or three for a quick
simple question you decide to introduce during a lecture class -- this
"Pair and Share" method with a neighbor eliminates the
chaos incumbent with students locating their assigned groups.)
- Request a room conducive to group work. For 80 students, a
room with tables is best, followed by a room with moveable chairs.
(EditorŐs note: Pearson 101C seats 66 students at round tables.)
- On the day of your first PBL session, prior to student arrival,
assign seating by pasting group numbers on all seats, if seats are
not already numbered.
- Set up your room so that you are accessible to all groups. In a
large lecture hall with fixed seating, this may mean leaving empty
rows between group rows.
- Bring extra group lists, masking tape, stapler, extra textbook,
reference materials, copies of problems for each group and for each
group member.
- Anticipate problems and be ready to handle them swiftly.
Structure
More structure is needed to manage PBL in a large class than in a
small class. The following methods are useful to convey to the class
that this otherwise "chaotic" situation is well under control and has
a definite purpose.
- Introduce a problem at the beginning of the class, or during the
previous class, with a very brief "mini-lecture."
- If the problem is printed (rather than viewed), provide copies
for each group and for each person in each group.
- Furnish printed questions related to the problem (with space
provided for answers). Copies should be furnished to each group member
and a copy to each group. The group's copy, signed by all
participating members, should be turned in as the group product at the
end of the period. If questions are not appropriate for the problem,
then explain what product is expected as a result of the group work
for that day.
- If a printed problem is written on more than one page, and
solutions to the problem unravel with each new page, then give out the
pages one at a time, requiring that answers to one page be turned in
before the next is dispensed. Suspense is a great motivator.
- Assess progress at regular intervals. If necessary, interrupt
group work to correct misconceptions, or to bring groups up to par
with one another.
- Allow time for class discussion of the problem at the end of
the PBL session, or at the beginning of the next class period.
How much time does it take?
John Pickrell at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine reports that his "personal experience has been that it takes about 1.5 to 2 times as long..." as preparing lectures.
This confirms other sources citing similar findings that PBL generally takes more time in preparation that does conventional lecturing methods.
What kind of resources are needed to incorporate PBL methods?
Some protential resources include the following
PBL Software
Science Sleuth
interactive CD Rom
very good interface, "human" narrates steps involved.
Problem is finding what made everyone sick at the company picnic
tools are encyclopedia, maps, chemistry tools, database of persons, lists of food served etc. all presented in realistic simulations. Interface is picture of lab with files, slides, computers, books, lab table etc. each is an acinve link or tool.
Advantages:
realistic and interesting, good real world problem.
disadvantages: complicated, easy to get lost
Video Disk based instruction.
Radio earphones keep classroom quiet and eliminate wires
Adventures of Jasper Woodbury
Uses video clips with branching
Goals and Objectives
2. What has the experience been at other schools/disciplines where it has
been tried?
Fredrick Miller, MD and Chair of Pathology at Stoney Brook reports that in the medical discipline "...for very bright students this self-learning may be equivalent but for those with lesser immediate grasp, the process can not be shown to be any better than conventional instruction".
Besides medicine, there have been other successful uses of PBL in Engineering, Education, History, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and other allied medical fields.
How are those schools/disciplines similar to yours?
For the most part, these disciplines are unlike those represented by the team from CSULB, however studio art, business and leisure services management provides opportunities for PBL.
Are
those schools/disciplines so different that it's unlikely that PBL
would be doable in your situation?
In the case of Art History and other Humanities, there appear to be significant problems developing PBL. Business curricula, particularly those using case studies provide opportunities for PBL.
3. What are some good examples of PBL problems?
The Problem-Based Learning in Health
Care:
the PBLIST Home Page provides links to numerous examples of PBL applications.
What characteristics do
they have in common?
Barbara Duch of the Center for Teaching Effectiveness writes of the charactaristics of good problems
Characteristics of good problems
Many faculty who have adapted PBL in their courses, and students who
have taken those courses agree on several factors that are essential
for good problems (or cases).
-
An effective problem must first engage students' interest, and
motivate them to probe for deeper understanding of the concepts being
introduced. It should relate the subject to the real world, so that
students have a stake in solving the problem.
-
Good problems require students to make decisions or judgements based
on facts, information, logic and/or rationalization. Students should
be required to justify all decisions and reasoning based on the
principles being learned. Problems should require students to define
what assumptions are needed (and why), what information is relevant,
and/or what steps or procedures are required in order to solve them.
-
Cooperation from all members of the student group should be necessary
in order to effectively work through a good problem. The length and
complexity of the problem or case must be controlled so that students
realize that a "divide and conquer" effort will not be an effective
problem-solving strategy. For example, a problem that consists of a
series of straight-forward "end of chapter" questions will be divided
by the group and assigned to individuals and then reassembled for the
assignment submission. In this case, students end up learning less
not more.
-
The initial questions in the problem should have one or more of the
following characteristics so that all students in the groups are
initially drawn into a discussion of the topic:
- open-ended, not limited to one correct answer
- connected to previously learned knowledge
- controversial issues that will elicite diverse opinions
This strategy keeps the students functioning as a group, drawing on
each other's knowledge and ideas, rather than encouraging them to work
individually at the outset of the problem.
-
The content objectives of the course should be incorporated into the
problems, connecting previous knowledge to new concepts, and
connecting new knowledge to concepts in other courses and/or
disciplines.
4. What kind of activities do students do while engaged in a PBL project?
What kinds of thinking skills and collaboration skills do they develop?
(your answer goes here)
5. How inter-disciplinary can PBL be?
(your answer goes here)
6. Is PBL implemented the same everywhere?
(your answer goes here)
7. Is PBL a complete success? A partial success? What are its weaknesses?
(your answer goes here)
8. 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?
(your answer goes here)
9. In Bridges' book, Problem Based Learning for Administrators, he
describes criteria for evaluating pupils--what are some practical
suggestions you could incoporate?
(your answer goes here)
10. How does PBL compare to traditional instruction?
(your answer goes here)
11. 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?
(your answer goes here)
12. What kinds of learners are best suited to PBL? How do students feel
about PBL?
(your answer goes here)
13. The Bottom Line: Should universities adopt PBL for use in all classes?
Will you?
(your answer goes here)
Return to the Investigating PBL: A WebQuest page.
San Diego State University
CSU Instructional Technology Initiatives
Office of the Chancellor
The California State University
Page Authors: Gail Lucas & Bob Hoffman with inspiration from Bernie Dodge
Respond to forum: DCDPBL
Faculty Develpoment Institute Forum
All contents copyright © 1996, SDSU. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 11, 1996
URL: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/clrit/PBL_Template.html