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Understanding Problem-Based Learning

PBL is an approach to education that uses complex, “real-world” problems as the stimulus and framework for learning.

What is PBL? Problem-based learning is not equivalent to problem-centered or project-based methodologies or problem-solving activities, though it includes elements of both. Rather, PBL is based on the premise that students will “want to know” and solve problems when the problem is presented in a context that simulates real-world, and thus personally relevant, situations.

Acquiring knowledge in the context in which it is meant to be used facilitates recall and application of concepts and skills learned (Gijselaers, 1996). Furthermore, as students engage in solving problems, they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as learning content essential to the course.

PBL has been used in medical schools for at least three decades. In 1969, McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences developed a new medical school curriculum using problem-based learning as its foundation.

By the early 1980s, other medical schools had adopted curricula based on PBL, some as a parallel program for a subset of students, others in specific courses or as an entire curriculum. Not until more recently, however, has PBL been embraced in areas of education other than health-related fields.

As PBL has been disseminated and adapted to meet different curricular needs, it has evolved. Many institutions have designed “hybrid” approaches to their curriculum, blending PBL with elements of conventional instruction. However, in spite of the variations in implementation, these elements will always be required to make PBL effective and true to its intent:

• Learning is student-centered. Students are encouraged to become actively engaged in the process and become responsible not only for their own learning, but for the learning of others in the group.
• Learning occurs in collaborative environments. Students work in groups of 5-10 and build teamwork skills as they try to solve the problem together.
• Teachers act as facilitators, called “tutors.” Teachers do not lecture, but guide students in the processes of discovery, inquiry, analysis, and reporting.
• Problems are a stimulus for learning and vehicles for the development of problem-solving skills. Students learn by trying to solve problems with no single “right” answer.

The PBL process
In a PBL environment, a problem is posed to the students before concepts and relevant information about the subject matter have been presented through any medium, including texts or lectures. The problem itself provides the context for students to identify issues to research. For example, here is a problem written for a math module, UBUYACAR, developed by Maricopa faculty members Yvonne Zeka, Donna Gaudet, and Naomi Story: You are interested in purchasing a new vehicle. What should your annual salary be to afford the car you want?

This question isn’t as simple as it appears. The module shows students that there is a difference between having enough money to purchase a vehicle and being able to afford it. Students work in groups to analyze the problem and determine what information they already have and what they need to learn to solve the problem.

As part of this process, students brainstorm ideas that could be possible solutions or ideas that could lead to solutions after more information has been gathered. In other words, they propose hypotheses. Throughout this process, tutors can facilitate the generation of ideas by posing questions or answering students’ questions. For example, students may need to know if they have a trade-in and if they determine their salaries before or after taxes.

Students next list facts based on their prior knowledge and generate questions or “learning issues” about what kind of knowledge they need to acquire to understand the problem. For example, they will need to identify a vehicle and determine what costs are associated in purchasing a car and how they are determined. Each student, or a group of students, selects one or more learning issues to research and develops a plan of action.

Engaging in what is called self-directed learning, students research the learning issues using a variety of resources. In the math module, for example, resources include the course textbook, periodicals (for example, Consumer Reports, Motor Trend, etc.), websites for a car-buying guide, Kelly Blue Book, and an auto loan calculator.

Students return to the group and report on what new information they have gathered. They review the problem and assess progress in light of the new knowledge. Hypotheses are revised, and new learning issues may arise. The cycle is repeated until the problem is resolved. Once they are finished with a problem, students are evaluated by the teacher and engage in self and peer assessment of their performance.

The teacher’s role
One of the most difficult concepts to understand about the PBL approach is that the teacher plays a variety of roles—curriculum designer, tutor, resource, and evaluator—none of which includes providing information or specific directions to the students.

Teachers face the “task of guiding without leading and assisting, without directing” (Delisle, 1997). In the curriculum designer role, teachers select, structure, or write problems that address the lesson objectives and reflect real-world issues.

As tutors, teachers facilitate students learning by presenting the problem, asking challenging questions, probing for understanding, making resources available, and encouraging self-evaluation.

Teachers can also be resources when approached by the students because of their expertise in the content. In this role, teachers clarify confusing concepts but encourage students to use other sources of verification. The teacher as evaluator monitors the process throughout and evaluates the effectiveness of the problem and the quality of students’ products and performances.

Effective PBL problems
An effective PBL problem is also critical to success. A problem is a statement of a real-life scenario designed to challenge learners, promote the acquisition of knowledge, encourage the development of effective problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and require collaboration with peers.

Problems need to be relevant to incite students’ interest and their desire to solve the problem. Typically, scenarios focus on current events; the students’ life, field of study, or line of work; classic works within a discipline; or application of concepts to everyday life.

The most effective problems are complex, open-ended, present a minimal amount of information, and do not have a singular solution or do not require only one way of reaching a solution.

In the final analysis, all of these elements—the PBL process itself, the role of the instructor, and the problem—are critical to the success of PBL.

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