Learning+Theory+Group+2

Problem Based Learning

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"How can I get my students to think?" is a question asked by many faculty, regardless of their disciplines. Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that challenges students to "learn to learn," working cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world problems. These problems are used to engage students' curiosity and initiate learning the subject matter. PBL prepares students to think critically and analytically, and to find and use appropriate learning resources. //-- Barbara Duch//

     
 * History of Problem Based Learning
 * Introduction and Overview of Theory
 * Main Characteristics of Theory
 * Stregths and Weaknesses of Theory
 * Examples and Resources

 History of Problem Based Learning Problem based learning as we know it to be today found its origins in the early 1970s at McMaster University's medical school in Canada. In the beginning it was primarily seen as a tool for medical and professional schools but it is now used more widespread across all disciplines. Many contemporaries of Problem Based Learning feel that its fundamental principles find their roots far earlier than the 1970s. Thomas Corts, president of Samford University, feels that PBL is a newly recovered style of learning that embraces the question and answer dialectical approach associated with Socrates as well as the Hegelian thesis-antithesis-synthesis dialectic. Since the emergence of PBL many studies have been performed to verify its benefits as well as point out it’s shortcomings. In an article from Educational Psychologist entitled Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning the following studies are cited as positive proponents for PBL. Menu 
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">GenScope - supports the success of the constructivist problem-based and inquiry learning methods, an inquiry based science software application, students using software showed significant gains over the control groups
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Geier - effectiveness of inquiry-based science for middle school students, as demonstrated by their performance on high-stakes standardized tests, improvement was 14% for the first group of students and 13% for the second group.

<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"> Introduction and Overview of Theory <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">The official descriptions of Problem Based Learning read something like, “an instructional strategy in which students confront contextualized, ill-structured problems and strive to find meaningful solutions. “ However McMaster University summarizes all of the preceding and simply puts it, “PBL is any learning environment in which the problem drives the learning.” The main focus of Problem Based Learning is to encourage students to form meanings out of the facts they learn instead of simply fact-finding as the activity. PBL couples group work and independent investigation via contextualized problem sets and situations in order to achieve higher levels of comprehension, knowledge forming skills, and social skills. Problem based learning is when students apply knowledge to new and different situations in order to show understanding. For example, instead of being given a quiz on new material students would given a problem or project they would have to solve using the new material learned.

Problem Based Learning is most associated with constructivism in that all learning activities are geared to a larger task or problem; the learner is engaged in a project; an authentic learning environment is one in which thinking is required; collaborative groups are important because we can test our own understanding and examine the understanding of others as a mechanism for enriching, interviewing and expanding our understanding of a particular issue; encourage testing ideas against alternative views and alternative contexts; provide opportunity and support reflection on both the content learned and the learning process. Many feel that PBL works much the same way as the mind, that is it makes the learning process intuitive to students. The acquisition and structuring of knowledge in PBL is thought to work through the following cognitive effects: initial analysis of the problem and activation of prior knowledge through small-group discussion, elaboration on prior knowledge and active processing of new information, restructuring of knowledge, construction of a semantic network, social knowledge construction, learning in context, and stimulation of curiosity related to presentation of a relevant problem. Menu

<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"> Main Characteristics of Theory <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Menu
 * 1) <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">All problems in theory based learning are open ended.
 * 2) <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Students typically work together instead of individually so they can share ideas. Students are usually arranged into small, self-directed groups.
 * 3) <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Teachers have the role of facilitator: they present the information and the problem to be solved. They then help them understand if needed. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Learning is driven by challenging, open-ended problems.

<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Strengths and Weaknesses of Theory

Strengths:

Help students develop 1) flexible knowledge, 2) effective problem-solving skills, 3) Self-Directed Learning skills, 4) effective collaboration skills, and 5) intrinsic motivation. Students apply their new knowledge to the problem and reflect on what they learned and the effectiveness of the strategies employed.

Challenges:

Many issues and questions have risen with PBL such as: How are the problems selected? How are they written? How can courses foster the development of students’ knowledge structure over time? How can teachers used to traditional methods be trained to cope with different demands on them? How do we deal with very large classes or funding levels which do not appear to allow us to do small group learning?

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<span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Examples The main component of problem based learning is solving a problem of completing a project. There are so many ways in which we can utilize technology in the classroom with this learning style. One technology to utilize would be Inspiration, which we have all used in class. This allows for students to take a problem or project from a starting point and show exactly what move they made as they worked through the problem/project. Another example is movie making. In problem based learning students aren’t typically tested, but we need to assess them. Through movie making we can have a group of students do a recreation of historical events or have them do a cause and effect video of a situation that mirrors something that happened in history. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most students have probably used technology as a part of problem based learning without even realizing it. A lot of projects in today’s classroom involve creating something, whether it be a picture, movie, or some kind of structure. Students use technology to create these projects today more than ever before.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 120%;">Resources

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The challenge of problem-based learning By David Boud, Grahame Feletti (1991)

Problem Based Learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework by Savery & Duffy (June 2001)

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Problem Based Learning: An Introduction, The National Teaching and Learning Forum. Volume 8, Number 1, 1998. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning: A Response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006), Educational Psychologist 42(2), p99-107. Menu