Problem Based Learning PBL

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Problem Based Learning(PBL)
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Problem Based Learning (PBL)

• Need for effective problem solvers
• critical thinking and problem solving skills not
  always addressed in classroom
• Typically 85 of teacher questions are at the
  recall or simple comprehension level

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Problem Based Learning

• Real World problems are ill-defined
• fuzzy edges
• insufficient information
• need the best solution possible within a limited
  time frame

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Problem Solving

• To solve real-world problems we need
• problem solving skills
• knowledge
• other skills
• PBL was pioneered in U.S. Medical Schools

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Characteristics of PBL

• Reliance on problems to drive the curriculum
• The problems are truly ill-structured
• Students solve the problems typically working in
  small groups
• Students are only given guidelines for how to
  approach problems
• Authentic, performance based assessment

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Role of the Teacher in PBL

• Teachers are coaches and facilitators
• Should NOT direct
• Teachers are NOT disseminators of knowledge (c.f.
  most traditional didactic teaching methods)

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PBL Learning Outcomes

• Clearly define a problem
• Develop alternative hypotheses
• Access, evaluate, and utilize data from a variety
  of sources
• Alter hypotheses given new information
• Develop clearly stated solutions that fit the
  problem and its inherent conditions, based upon
  information and clearly explicated reasoning

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Three Stages of PBL

• Stage 1 Encountering and Defining the Problem
• Stage 2 Accessing, Evaluating and Utilizing
  information
• Stage 3 Synthesis and Performance

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PBL Stage 1

• What do I know already about this problem or
  question?
• What do I need to know to effectively address
  this problem or question?
• What resources can I access to determine a
  proposed solution or hypothesis?
• Write a clear problem statement based on answers
  to the above

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PBL Stage 2

• access print, human, or electronic information
  resources
• evaluate the resource
• Currency
• Authority
• Credibility
• Accuracy
• Bias

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PBL Stage 3

• Students construct a solution to the problem e.g.
• Prototype
• Presentation
• Paper or essay
• Students must re-organise the information in new
  ways

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References

• Stepien, W.J. and Gallagher, S.A. 1993.
  "Problem-based Learning As Authentic as it
  Gets." Educational Leadership. 50(7) 25-8
• Barrows, H. (1985) Designing a Problem Based
  Curriculum for the Pre-Clinical Years.
• Schools of California Online Resources for
  Education (http//score.rims.k12.ca.us/index.html)