Problem-based Learning

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a powerful teaching technique that is widely established in a number of academic fields and recognized as an immensely valuable approach in many others. This book is for those currently using PBL as well as those new to it and offers case studies and strategies.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is becoming widely used in higher education. Popular in the medical sciences, PBL is now finding applications beyond - in engineering, sciences and architecture - and is widely applicable in many fields. It is a powerful teaching technique that appeals to students and educators alike. This book will be of great value to those who want to improve their use of PBL and for those who want to learn more and implement it. It provides compelling accounts of experiences with PBL from eight countries including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and gives readers the opportunity to understand PBL and to develop strategies for their own curriculum, in any subject and at many levels.

1. Come and See the Real Thing: Convincing faculty members to accept a proposal to adopt Problem-based learning (PBL) within a curriculum 2. No Money Where Your Mouth Is: Resource intensity of PBL; obtaining faculty tutors in the face of competing demands 3. Into the Lion’s Den: Introducing PBL into a combined clinical teaching attachment; dealing with organizational difficulties 4. Lost in the Mêlée: Converting a traditional curriculum to a ‘hybrid’ PBL curriculum; reducing ‘overload’ in the curriculum 5. But What if They Leave with Misinformation?: Convincing skeptical faculty about ‘self correction’ mechanisms in PBL groups 6. Mixed Models and Mixed Messages: Implementing PBL during periods of administrative transition; dealing with the challenges facing students in a new curriculum which only some courses use PBL 7. Overcoming Obstacles: Achieving virtually integrated PBL curriculum in a traditional, departmentally organized medical school 8. Forward from the Retreat: Acting on a proposal to introduce PBL into a long-established, traditional medical curriculum 9. Too Little, Too Late?: The importance of group- and self-evaluation and timely feedback in PBL tutorials 10. Not More PBL: Responding to clinical students’ boredom with paper-based PBL 11. Why Do They Ignore It?: Getting Students in a PBL curriculum to pay attention to important learning issues that do not appear to them to be central 12. Redesigning PBL: Resolving the Integration Problem: Translating a PBL model from one discipline to another 13. Why Does the Department Have Professors if They Don’t Teach?: Confusion about the meaning of ‘self-directed learning’ - addressing the confusion and minimizing its effects when implementing PBL 14. Faculty Development Workshops: A ‘Challenge’ of Problem-Based Learning? 15. Dealing with difficulties during faculty development workshops on PBL resulting from participants’ different backgrounds and expectations 16. The Students Did That?: Inducting faculty members and students into a new PBL curriculum 17. Mature Students?: Difficulties in PBL process when ‘mature’ students take control of groups 18. To Admit or Not to Admit? That is the Question…: Selecting Students for PBL programmes; reconciling differing views among students of the nature and goals of PBL 19. Why Aren’t They Working?: Responding to poorly functioning tutorial groups in PBL 20. I Don’t Want to Be a Groupie: Dealing with a student who fails a PBL unit because of poor participation in the group 21. Reflecting on Assessment: Choosing a method that assesses both the knowledge gained and the learning process of PBL 22. Assessable Damage: Dealing with factors causing a student’s hostile reaction to assessment in a PBL course 23. They Just Don’t Pull Their Weight: Assuring individual accountability of students in small tutorless PBL groups Further Reading Index

Peter Schwartz