3. Problem Solver

1. Description

The coach should always be available for his students should content or group problems arise.

The students know they can rely on their coach and that together with the group they can seek an adequate solution that will guarantee the successful progress of the project.

2. Required skills and attitudes

• Adopt an open, social and communicative approach with regard to the students.
• Possess a thorough theoretical and practical knowledge of the learning content and methods of the field of study.
• Possess the necessary knowledge of and insight into how a group functions.
• Possess the didactic skills to act as a coach in a problematic situation.

3. Guidelines on how to take on this coaching role

3.1 Position in PBL-based EPICES projects

One of the most important characteristics of a PBL-based EPICES project is that it creates an activating learning environment that stimulates the students' self-development. That is why the coach plays an important role as a problem solver in this educational format. Because of his availability and because of his role as problem solver, he makes sure that additional peripheral conditions for working on and learning from the project are provided for.

The creation of a safe and stimulating learning environment is vital for the successful progress of a project. Because the coach is available when problems arise, he can stimulate and facilitate students' self-development, including the possibility to experiment during the project. The students can freely consult him about questions and problems and know that they can rely on the coach if they are no longer in control of the situation. Together with the group they can seek an adequate solution that will guarantee the successful progress of the project.

3.2 Points of attention

The most important condition for the successful adoption of this role is the creation of a safe, open and activating learning environment that will stimulate the students' self-development.

To take on this role successfully and correctly in practice, the following guidelines should be taken into account:

1. The coach must always be available for the students. They should know that he is open to questions and problems and that he is willing to listen to them and helps looking in the search for a solution.
2. The coach adopts an open, social and communicative position with regard to the students. This shared communication is characterised by mutual respect, openness and a willingness to reach a solution together.
3. Together with the group, the coach seeks an adequate solution that will guarantee the successful progress of the project. It is important that there is a shared search for a solution and that this is not handed ready made to the students, given that this educational format wishes to contribute to the development of the students’ self-development and communication skills.

4. Influence on the competences to be developed

This overview outlines how and to which extent this specific coaching role contributes to acquiring the different competences, so that you can adapt your coaching to the competence(s) that has/have to be developed:

Significant

• Is competent in doing research
• Is competent in co-operating and communicating

Average

• Is skilled in one or more scientific discipline(s)
• Is competent in designing
• Has basic intellectual skills

Insignificant

• Other competences

5. Influence on the various educational settings

The role of problem solver should be stressed in the following divergent situations:

Size of group

• Not applicable

Level of development

• Not applicable