Problem Based Learning
(PBL)
What is Problem-Based Learning?
Problem-Based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that uses ill-structured problems as the backbone. It is through the relevancy and complexity of these problems that students find and evaluate learning resources, think critically about the new knowledge, solve problems, and make better decisions. PBL also helps students learn to work cooperatively in teams and small groups, and to practice verbal and written communication skills. PBL provides many of the desired educational outcomes and prepares students for life-long learning.
PBL - The "Classic" Teaching Structure
A "classic" teaching structure does exist for teaching with the PBL approach. However, there are many variations and ways of adapting the structure to a specific classroom or problem. The classic structure includes:
- The Problem: Students (in permanent groups of 3 to 4) are presented with a relevant and interesting problem, which they read and then discuss relative to their previous knowledge.
- Learning Issues: Students ask questions, which define what they know and don't know (learning issues). They then discuss resources for answers to their questions, and assign to individual students the responsibility for researching the learning issues.
- Research and Incorporating the New Knowledge: Individual students report (teach) their research findings to the group, who then integrate the newly learned information with their previous knowledge and analyze the result relative to the problem. The group refines their learning issues and the cycle of questioning/researching/integrating can repeat as necessary.
- Group Report and Whole Class Discussion: Students write a group report prior to presenting their findings to the class. analysis of the problem and evaluation of the potential solutions. The class then identifies the better answers or solutions including the reasons why certain solutions are better than others.The role of a PBL teacher is much different than that of a traditional teacher. Like all teachers, the teacher of a PBL class develops class materials, educational objectives and a syllabus. However, the teacher of a PBL class must prepare for the class in a different way and the teacher's role in the classroom is very different. In the classroom, the PBL teacher often is carrying out multi-roles, including facilitating, promoting good group function, assuring individual and group accountability, deciding when whole-class discussions or mini-lectures are necessary, and assessing groups and individual students in various ways.
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PBL - The Basics of Designing PBL into a Course
The following are a few examples of ways to incorporate
PBL into a course:
- A course that uses PBL from start to finish
- When educational objectives call for students to discover knowledge and skills
- Students are continually challenged to discover new knowledge with a 'need to know' approach
- Also uses PBL from start to finish
- When educational objectives call for students to integrate knowledge and skills
- The comprehensive problem must be solved only by integrating the learning from the previous specific problems
- When educational objectives include developing critical thinking, problem solving skills, and decision-making skills in greater depth
- Begin with problems that can be concluded in one-class setting and move onto more complex problems that require two or more sessions and clearly require greater analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
- When you want students to discover the need for specific knowledge
- Open with a problem that needs specific knowledge and follow it with lecture(s).
- When the students require greater assistance in finding resources to discover knowledge and skills
- Begin with a decision making case study that provides Exhibits showing most of the necessary resources information for making the decision, and then progressively move to Problems where students must identify learning issues and resources for the necessary information
_____________________________PBL - Writing Problems for a PBL Course
Every teacher that wishes to use the PBL approach will want to write his or her own problems, for several reasons: 1) It is not always possible to find suitable problems, even though there are a variety of problems available from other teachers, books, and clearing houses; 2) Writing the problems allows the teacher to develop them according to the needs of the course and allows direct involvement with the people associated with the problem; and 3) Writing the case helps the teacher be more effective in the classroom. Thus, every teacher will probably wish to write his or her own problems, in addition to using those written by others.
Good PBL problems are relevant, motivate students to 'jump in', connect to previously learned knowledge, requires a decision to be made, and are designed with enough complexity that group work is necessary. They often have multi-stages. They also incorporate higher order Bloom levels and the educational objectives of the course. Good problems will have more than one plausible solution. That is, there is not one 'right' solution, but some solutions are better than others.
Sources for good problems are everywhere. This includes students. In upper-level courses, I often give a group assignment that involves developing a suitable problem and teaching that problem to the class. In addition, developing a 'Teaching Note' on how they plan to teach the problem is part of the assignment. These problems have enriched the students' understanding of agricultural dilemmas and have been further developed for use in following classes.
