Problem Based Learning: A Case Study

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Problem Based Learning A Case Study

• Presented by Deana Halonen
• Ph.D. Candidate, M.S.W., H.B.S.W
• halonen_at_cc.umanitoba.ca

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Agenda

• Problem Based Learning (PBL)
• Characteristics
• Basic Steps
• Advantages
• Limitations
• The Case Study
• Major Findings
• Students Perceptions

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Problem Based Learning (PBL)

• Began in 1950s as a movement to restructure
  medical education at McMaster University (Canada)
• Unlike traditional instruction that culminates in
  a problem after basic instruction on facts and
  skills (sometimes in the form of a test or exam),
  PBL begins with a problem, teaching facts and
  skills in a relevant context

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Characteristics of Problem Based Learning

• Requires students to solve authentic, real-life
  open-ended problems with many correct answers
  possible
• Authentic problems are those real-life issues
  faced by doctors, nurses, social workers, police
  officers, lawyers, engineers, business
  administrators, pilots, etc., etc., etc.

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Characteristics of PBL

• Emphasizes students pre-existing knowledge
  start with what you know
• Students actively participate by helping plan,
  organize, and evaluate the problem solving
  process
• Interdisciplinary connections stressed
• Students undertake authentic roles

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Basic Steps of Problem Based Learning

• Students divided into groups
• Real problem is presented and discussed
• Students identify
• What is known in relation to the problem
• What information is needed
• What strategies or next steps to take in order to
  learn the information/knowledge/skills needed
• Individuals research different issues, gather
  resources

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Basic Steps of PBL (cont)

• Resources evaluated in group and new
  information/knowledge/skills shared/taught to
  rest of the group
• Cycle repeats until students feel that problem
  has been framed adequately and all issues have
  been addressed
• Possible actions, recommendations, solutions or
  hypotheses are generated
• Tutor groups conduct peer/self assessments

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Facilitators and Problem Based Learning

• Teachers are seen as the facilitator and are
  key to these learning environments
• Model higher-order process skills
• Probe for student understanding
• Never identify issues or state an opinion while
  students are framing the problems

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Advantages of Problem Based Learning

• Greater retention and recall of knowledge
• Interdisciplinary
• can require accessing and using information from
  a variety of subject domains
• Better integration of knowledge
• Integration of classroom field
• Development of life-long learning skills
• How to research
• How to communicate in groups
• How to handle problems

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Advantages of PBL

• Learning environment that is
• Active
• Cooperative
• Self peer assessed
• Student centred
• Highly effective
• Learning environment that provides
• Prompt feedback
• Opportunities to account for personal learning
  preferences multiple intelligences
• Opportunities to allow for a variety of levels of
  learning

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Advantages of PBL

• Learning environment that enhances critical
  thinking and problem solving skills
• Greatest strength of PBL is
• Increased motivation
• Increased student satisfaction
• Increased Student-student interaction
• Increased Student-instructor interaction

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Limitations of Problem Based Learning

• Requires significant pre-planning and development
  of
• Authentic problems, cases, situations
• Resources available for students
• Literature
• Resource people
• Professionals in the field
• Requires an authentic commitment and willingness
  to honor the knowledge, experience skills that
  students bring to the learning experience

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Limitations of PBL

• Requires a change of Paradigms
• A shift of focus from what faculty teach to what
  students learn
• A view of the Instructor as facilitator of the
  learning as opposed to the one expert whose
  role is to bank knowledge (Friere) through
  lectures or classroom demonstrations

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Resources References

• Problem-based learning, especially in the context
  of large classes Available online at
  http//www.chemeng.mcmaster.ca/pbl/pbl.htm
• Stepien, Senn Stepien (2000) The Internet and
  Problem-Based Learning Developing Solutions
  through the web
• Rankin (1999) Handbook on Problem-Based Learning
  Challis Resource Centre
• Duch, Groh Allen (2001) The Power of
  Problem-based Learning A practical how to for
  teaching undergraduate courses in any discipline

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The Problem

• Imagine you are at the end of a phone line with a
  group of students who are situated throughout a
  region, province, Canada, possibly beyond. It is
  a 3 hour class and you know that while students
  can hear you, they cant see you or each other.
• You have no idea if someone is chatting, has gone
  to the washroom, is reading the newspaper,
  making the weekly shopping list, or even left
  class for the day.
• You want to ensure that students are connecting
  with the material, connecting with you (the
  Instructor), connecting with each other and
  connecting with the institution.
• You know that students report general
  dissatisfaction with distance education and
  learning at a distance from their instructors.

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The Case Study

• How does Problem Based Teaching affect student
  satisfaction in Social Work courses delivered
  through virtual audioconferenced Distance
  Education classrooms?

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Methodology

• Within a group of students enrolled in a 2 year
  dual diploma program, Instructor/Researcher
  taught 4 (3 credit hour) courses
• 2 for 1st year students 1 using PBL 1 using
  Lecture Based Teaching
• 2 for 2nd year student 1 using PBL 1 using
  Lecture Based Teaching

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Data

• Throughout the term, all students were required
  to maintain a journal and reflect on
• What they were learning
• How they were learning it
• How they knew they were learning it
• How would they demonstrate that they were
  learning it

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Data (2)

• Some classes were audio-taped
• Some classes were video-taped
• In the first ½ of the course
• In the second ½ of the course
• Instructor/Researcher maintained a journal
  recording the classroom learning activities that
  students engaged in
• Researcher/Instructor maintained a journal
  recording students reactions and levels of
  participation in the classroom learning activities

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Data (3)

• At the beginning of the term, all students were
  provided with an explanation about the research
  and asked to complete a sheet of paper and
  indicate whether or not they would participate in
  the research project. The sheet of paper was
  then placed in a sealed envelope and mailed to an
  independent third party
• Since all students filled in the form, no one was
  able to tell who chose to participate and who
  chose not to participate, including the
  Instructor/Researcher
• Once all evaluation was completed and Final
  Grades were submitted to the Registrar, the
  Independent third party released the signed
  sheets of paper to the Researcher/Instructor

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Data (4)

• One to one or focus group interviews were held
  with those students who had consented to
  participate in the research project
• Data was gathered on
• The students experience and their perception of
• Level of learning in PBL Lecture courses
• Level of satisfaction with PBL Lecture courses
• Level of participation in PBL Lecture courses
• What they were doing differently in PBL Lecture
  courses

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Findings

• The Students
• 59 in 4 courses gt19 Year 1 22 Year 2 gt 14
  agreed to participate
• 12 of the sample were female 2 were male
• Physically located in 8 different communities
• 7 in Northwestern Ontario
• 1 in Northeastern Ontario
• Grade Point Average ranged from 2.96 to 4.0 with
  average being 3.4

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Final Grades (cf)
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Major Findings

• Retention Rate was 100
• Actively engaged
• Satisfaction
• Participation
• Collaboration
• Learning
• Construction of Knowledge
• Application of knowledge
• Retain Knowledge

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Students Perceptions

• Stimulating
• Humane
• Challenging
• Exchange with others
• Resources

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Students Perceptions

• What were they doing differently?