PROBLEM BASED LERNING
Overview
Objectives
1. Define Problem based Learning
2. Consider evidence for PBL
3. State the characteristics of PBL
4. Roles of various players in PBL
5. Discuss how PBL is implemented
6. Outline the advantages and
disadvantages of PBL
Center for Gifted Education
College of William and May
What is PBL?
An instructional student centered approach
which uses carefully constructed clinical
problems as a context to
a) Define their learning needs
b) Conduct self-directed enquiry
c) Integrate theory and practice, and
d) apply knowledge and skills to develop a
solution to a defined problem
PBL is
an instructional method that
challenges students to "learn to
learn," working cooperatively in
groups to seek solutions to real world
problems.
PBL
• engages students' curiosity and initiates
learning the subject matter.
• provides excellent opportunities for
students to think critically and analytically,
and to find and use appropriate learning
resources
• promotes autonomous learning
Research on PBL
• Students show significant learning gains in experimental
design through a PBL approach (VanTassel-Baska, et al.
2000)
• Students show enhanced ‘real world’ skills with no loss
in content knowledge as a result of using PBL
(Gallagher & Stepein, 1996; Gallagher & Gallagher, 2003)
• Students & teachers are motivated to learn using the
PBL approach (VanTassel-Baska, 2000)
• Students show enhanced higher order skill development
using PBL over other approaches to teaching science
(Dods,1997)
Students should be given problems – at levels
appropriate to their maturity – that require them to
decide what evidence is relevant and to offer their
own interpretations of what the evidence means.
This puts a premium, just as science does, on
careful observations and thoughtful analysis.
Students need guidance, encouragement, and
practice in collecting, sorting, and analyzing
evidence, and in building arguments based on it.
However, if such activities are not to be
destructively boring, they must lead to some
intellectually satisfying payoff that students care
about.
-- from Science for All Americans, Project 2061
PBL
Problem-based learning is an
instructional strategy (a curricular
framework) that, through student and
community interests and motivation,
provides an appropriate way to “teach”
sophisticated content and high-level
process… all while building self-efficacy,
confidence, and autonomous learner
behaviors.
Characteristics of PBL
• Learner-centered
• Real world problem
• Teacher as tutor or coach
• Emphasis on collaborative teams
• Employs metacognition
• Uses alternative assessment
• Embodies scientific process
Center for Gifted Education
College of William and May
Characteristics of PBL
• Students are in charge of learning
• Requires problem finding
• Requires students to make connections &
create ‘new’ knowledge
• Requires deep thinking
• There is no single right answer
Characteristics of PBL
Have we considered all possibilities?
What assumptions are we making?
Why is this strategy not working?
PBL Roles
Teacher: Student:
• Present an ill- • Create a precise
structured problem problem statement
• Act as a • Find information to
solve the problem
metacognitive coach
• Evaluate possible
solutions
• Create a final product
Scientific Habits of Mind
Cognitive skills, affective skills, and attitudes:
Curiosity
Creativity
Objectivity
Openness to new ideas
Skepticism
Tolerance for ambiguity
Self-Directed Learning…
Grasping Metacognition
Self-monitoring performance with an intent to self-assess
Recognizing gap in knowledge and set up learning
agenda
Identifying learning resources:
print
human
technology-based
Identifying skills needed to use resources wisely and well
Sorting through information to determine needed
information
Questioning appropriateness of personal biases
Applying information appropriately
Problem Based Learning
• State the problem
• Decide what information you need
• Conduct information quest
• Complete scientific investigations
• Review data & summarize findings
• Communicate problem resolution
What’s an “Ill-Structured” Problem?
More information than initially is
presented will be necessary to…
• understand what’s going on.
• know what caused it to be a problem.
• know how to fix it.
There’s always more than one right way
to figure it out.
• Fixed formulas won’t work.
• Each problem has unique components.
• Each problem solver has unique
characteristics, background, experience.
What’s an “Ill-Structured” Problem?
The definition of the problem shifts
or changes as new information is
gathered.
Ambiguity is a part of the
environment throughout the
process.
• Data are often incomplete
• …or in conflict
• …or unavailable
• but choices must be made, anyway.
Problem Diagnosis and
Solution Building
• Ill-structured problem is presented
– What is going on?
– What do we know?
– How can we find out?
– Where does the information lead
us?
– Do we have enough information?
– Is the information reliable?
– What’s the problem?
• Problem is represented
Dealing with real-world problems
Wheel of
Problem •Learn about the
problem
•Assume roles
Based •Define
stakeholders
Learning •Identify what you
know
•Prepare final product
•Identify what
you need to
•Decide on the best State the know
way to communicate Problem •Develop a plan
findings and Develop
to find
recommendations Communicate Need-to-
information and
Problem Know
Resolution Problem current
Board
Based research
Learning
•Organize and Review and Conduct •Use varied
analyze data Summarize Information approaches
Findings Quest
•Make inferences Conduct •Use multiple
specific data sources
•Draw conclusions Investigations
•Redefine the
•Identify a problem
solution/resolution •Select specific inquiry
questions.
•Use methodology of
discipline.
•Collect data.
Robbins, 2008
Need to Know Board
What do we What do we How can we
know? need to know? find out?
Center for Gifted Education
College of William and May
The traditional approach has been
criticized for a number of reasons
• Many existing curricula fail to meet the needs of
current and future doctors
• It creates an artificial divide between the basic
and clinical sciences
• Time is wasted in acquiring knowledge that is
subsequently forgotten or found to be irrelevant
• Application of the acquired knowledge can be
difficult
• The educational objectives of PBL
address many of the perceived problems
in traditional medical curricula
• Its possible advantages over traditional
approaches include
– Its greater relevance to the practice of
medicine
– Its ability to promote retention and application
of knowledge, and
– Its encouragement of self-directed life-long
learning
• Course material is usually system based
• Integration of basic and clinical sciences
Advantages of PBL
• Learning and teaching is more enjoyable for
students and teachers
• The learning environment is more stimulating
and more humane
• Self-directed learning skills are enhanced and
retained
• Promotes deeper rather than superficial
learning
Advantages of PBL
• Promotes interaction between students and
faculty
• Promotes interdepartmental collaboration,
particularly between basic and clinical
scientists
• Fosters clinical reasoning and problem solving
skills
• Promotes retention of knowledge which can be
applied to clinical situations
• Improves motivation to learn
Disadvantages of PBL
• Costly with significant start up and
maintenance costs
• Demanding of staff time
• Stressful for students and staff
• Students acquire less knowledge of basic
sciences
• May be difficult to implement when class
sizes are large or if there is lack of
enthusiasm for the idea
The Place of PBL in the curriculum