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Themes > Student Centred Learning
Problem-based Learning
Contributor(s): Ms Ada Lo,
Dr Allen Dorcas, Dr Chuen Chun Wah, Prof Howard Davies, Dr Janice Mckay,
Dr Jenny Chung, Ms Maggie Liddle, Mr Steve Frankland and Mr Willie Yip
General tips shared by the academic staff of how to use PBL approach
to enhance learning and teaching
What is Problem-based Learning?
Problem based learning (PBL) "is an educational approach
that organizes curriculum and instruction around carefully crafted "ill-structured"
problems. Students gather and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines
in their quest for solutions. Guided by teachers acting as cognitive coaches,
they develop critical thinking, problem solving, and collaborative skills
as they identify problems, formulate hypotheses, conduct data searches,
perform experiments, formulate solutions and determine the best "fit"
of solutions to the conditions of the problem. Problem-based learning
enables students to embrace complexity, find relevance and joy in their
learning and enhance their capacity for creative and responsible real-world
problem solving." (Centre for Problem-based learning, Illinois Mathematics
and Science Academy)
Why use PBL?
Advantages
PBL may
- Help students develop their own generic skills which are problem
solving skills, critical thinking skills, communication skills, presentation
skills and leadership skills by using real-world problems or case studies
- Help students build up a solid foundation for their lifelong learning
skills
- Train students to apply their learned theories into practice
- Help students learn how to solve problems in small groups
- Help students have a better long-term recall of the knowledge they
acquire.
Disdvantages
-
Require students to have some foundation knowledge
in relevant subject areas before they can have a meaningful discussion
with other students
-
Require the subject lecturer to obtain work experience
in relevant subject areas in terms of preparing students for the outside
world. Theory is only a simplified form of practice to students. Work
experience makes it easier for the subject lecturer to explain a topic
and its practical relevance
How PBL works?
Examples
1. Computing Studies
Subject
- High diploma course in Information Systems
Design
- Students in groups are required to
Procedures
- Provide structured and ill-structured problem cases to 9 groups
of students who are heterogeneous in terms of gender and academic
performance so that well-performed students can help those who are
not well performed
- Students are required to a) analyze problem cases, b) identify
learning issues, c) plan and carry out individual study, d) write
up and present their own study reports and e) perform peer evaluation.
- Use Web based “project planning tool” as a control mechanism
for coordinators to
- Oversee the progress of students and the degree of their project
planning skills
- Provide variety of search engines for students in collecting
information
- Provide a web channel for students to share their good reports
with each others
Assessment
- Students are asked to evaluate their group members in terms of a)
the percentage of contribution and b) the quality of work.
- Total score of individual student will be marked according to his/her
tutorial participation, presentation and peer evaluation
- Report, test (selective) and presentation will be also be marked
for in-group assessment
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