What is Problem-Based Learning?

Problem-based learning:
At its most basic, PBL is an instructional method characterized by the use of "real world" problems as a context for students to learn critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving skills, and how to learn how to learn.

How it works:

1. You're presented with a problem. Working in groups, you organize your ideas and previous knowledge related to this problem to attempt to define the broad nature of the problem.
2. In the first session, you pose questions (learning issues) on the aspects of the problem you don't understand or know enough about.
3. You rank order the learning issues, deciding which are most relevant to the problem. You then assign research–who will find answers to what questions, who will "teach" the rest of the group?
4. With the instructor, you discuss what resources will be needed to answer these questions, and where those might be found.
5. When you meet again (usually next class period) you report to your group on your research tasks, attempting to fit new knowledge into your understanding of the problem and its possible solutions.
6. You continue to define new learning issues as you progress through the problem meeting not only with your own group, but with your special interest group.

Your role:

1. To be a good group member, be available, reliable, and able to carry out your research tasks.
2. To come to understand the complexity of solving real world problems, the research that goes into understanding and defining a problem, and the many interests that affect real world solutions.
3. To be willing to learn how to learn, rather than to be taught discrete facts.
4. To take responsibility for the quality and quantity of your own learning.

My role:

1. To guide and support your learning, rather than to supply convenient, and often simplistic, answers.
2. To assume your intellectual maturity, and therefore, to be able to yield classroom authority to you.
3. To not use 1 & 2 as excuses for not providing the framework for an excellent learning experience.
   
   
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