Problem-based Learning
Problem-based Learning: PBL changes the role of teacher and student within a classroom. Student groups assume the lead role in determining what information needs to be collected and evaluated in order to complete the task or solve the problem. In an ideal setting, students take the responsibility for their group and direct their own learning. The teacher acts as a facilitator, assisting in redirecting or focusing the problem-solving strategy of the group.
PBL usually follows these guiding principles:
Students are presented with a real-world problem.
Working in groups, they identify their ideas and previous knowledge related to the problem in an attempt to better understand the scope of the problem and factors that will impact a potential solution.
While students engage in defining the scope of the problem, they pose “learning issues” that outline parts of the problem that they do not understand.
In defining what the group knows and does not know, a facilitator is better able to provide focus questions that help direct the group. Students and the facilitator order the learning issues and identify potential resources available to address the issues.
Student groups reconvene to reflect upon their progress and examine the remaining learning issues. Inevitably, new learning issues are identified and the problem is redefined.
In K-12 schools, science educators have reworked lessons to become more efficient to accommodate a ballooning knowledge base, in some cases, to the detriment of their students. The goals of science programs must be re-examined and new models for program delivery must be explored to ensure that educators recognize the importance of lifelong learning and necessity for the development of strong problem-solving skills within a collaborative environment.
PBL is a form of active learning that places students in collaborative groups, charged with solving a problem. It is rooted in cooperative and inquiry learning; approaches more familiar to K-12 teachers. However, unlike many approaches to cooperative learning, problem based learning, is driven by a challenge or open-ended problem. The problem is presented first to focus and direct what needs to be learned, not as a summary to test what has been learned. It also differs from many of the more traditional approaches to inquiry learning by allowing students greater independence in sequencing and determining their own learning experiences.
Supporting documents for using the instructional strategy of problem-based learning (PBL) are provided below.