- What exactly IS PBL? How is it implemented? How much time does it take? What kind of resources are needed to incorporate PBL methods?
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1a. Definition: Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a powerful educational model that has its roots
in the age old, well proven apprenticeship method, learning by doing. Initially
developed a quarter of a century ago in medical education, it has now become
increasingly used at all educational levels (K - 16) and in a wide range of
professional schools. It involves learners in an active, collaborative,
student-centered learning process that develops problem-solving and
self-educational abilities needed to meet the challenges of life and career in our
increasingly complex environment. It also allows the learner to acquire an
integrated knowledge-base structured around real world problems, the problems
the learner will face in future work or profession, community and personal life.
Acquiring knowledge in the contexts in which it is to be used facilitates recall and
knowledge application.
1b. The implementation begins with the following process:
1. A problem is established to solve and may be ill defined
2. In defining the problems they work with what they know and decide what they don't know
3. Seek answers using resources based around the problem not the discipline
4. Discuss and evaluate and reflect on the results
1c. PBL is a year-long process to implement.
1d. Resources available to PBLC
Faculty
Libraries
Computer Information Systems
Computer Laboratories
Laboratories: Gross Anatomy, Histology, Microbiology & Pathology
- 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?
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- What are some good examples of PBL problems and what characteristics do they have in common?
The problems are ill-defined and problems should be based on what they might experience in the future.
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Southern Illinois University (School of Medicine), School District 186 in Springfield, Illinois (Nursing, Pharmacy, NASA).
- What kind of activities do students do while engaged in a PBL project? What kinds of thinking skills and collaboration skills do they develop?
They engage in interactive activities such as visual/virtual databases, sight, sound, inquiry tasks, interactive engagement with characters.
The kinds of activities encompass some preliminary evidence which suggests that PBL curricula may enhance both transfer of concepts to new problems and integration of basic science concepts into clinical problems. They develop self-directed learning skills, the ability to pose questions and decide what are important questions, and they develop reasoning processes. They also develop vocabulary, math, critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent learning.
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- How inter-disciplinary can PBL be?
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It crosses inter-disciplinary lines as learning becomes focused on more areas which encourage critical thinking.
- Is PBL implemented the same everywhere?
The general framework is the same. However factors to consider are: how clearly to define the problem, how much time to provide students for data gathering, what kind of resources to make available, and how to assess students.
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- Is PBL a complete success? A partial success? What are its 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.
- 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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Encouraging the students actived participation in their own learning process.
- In Bridges' book, Problem Based Learning for Administrators, he describes criteria for evaluating pupils--what are some practical suggestions you could incoporate?
Assessment may include direct observation, product assessment, knowledge review, and integrated essays. In addition, evaluation and assessment may include student team contribution, student seriousness to the task, peer rating, self-rating, and instructor rating.
- How does PBL compare to traditional instruction?
PBL is comparable to tradiitional in learning and achievement. In addition, PBL creates a more inviting climate, more postive student attitude towards learning, lower drop out rate. Students in PBL have an increased ability to integrate knowledge from different sources and acquire superior reasoning skills.
PBL is friendlier and more social. However, some reports indicate that cognitive skills are not as high in some content areas.
- 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?
Teachers: Teachers unfamiliar with PBL are in for some surprises. Moving into "untraditional" instructional modes may appear risky, scary, and uncertain. If students are new to PBL, they may actually learn less at first. Becoming comfortable with PBL will take at least a year, perhaps more, and this mode will consume more of the teacher's energy. The good news is that this environment is exhilarating, meaningful, and rewarding. It may turn out to be one of the most exciting things teachers have experienced. Relevance. Look for windows into students' thinking in order to pose problems of increasing relevance. Teachers new to the PBL classroom may be tempted to give students key variables, too much information, or problem simplification. Complexity of scenarios has been shown to increase student motivation and engagement. Second questions. Avoid using the dreaded "second question" as a signal the student is wide of the mark. Regularly asking students to elaborate sends the message that the teacher wants to know what the student thinks and why. Brooks and Brooks (1993) state that "awareness of students' points of view is an instructional entry point that sits at the gateway of personalized education...teachers who operate without awareness of their students' points of view often doom students to dull, irrelevant experiences, and even failure" (p. 60).
- What kinds of learners are best suited to PBL? How do students feel about PBL?
Students must feel that this is their problem, otherwise they'll spend their time figuring out and delivering exactly what the teacher wants. The problem scenario should challenge students' original hypotheses. Don't hesitate to elaborate upon the scenario to engage students. Students must be given time and stimulation to seek relevance and the opportunity to reveal their points of view. If the teacher appears to be heading students in a particular direction, they'll see that this really isn't their problem after all. They'll see that there is a correct solution and that it belongs to the teacher.
- The Bottom Line: Should universities adopt PBL for use in all classes? Will you?
The answer is definitely yes, because we should encourage the various learning styles of the students.
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