Process Strategies of PBL
- Teacher determines an appropriate problem and conveys the question/problem for students
- Students work collaboratively to define the key problem and review target concepts or guiding ideas
- Determine and discuss potential hypothesis through analyzing and brainstorming
- Assigning of individual roles ~ begin research
- Reflection (Self and Group)
- Collaboration and creation of final products to convey the solution to the problem presented
Student Engagement
- Students learn through inquiry that is student-centered and not teacher-lead
- Division of project responsibilities to ensure productivity and participation by all students involved
- Conflict management to address problems arising within the collaborative groups
- Sense of ownership of knowledge through contracts and records of learning
Strategies for Collaboration
- Create specific roles for students
- Identify a key problem that allows for critical thinking and open-ended solutions
- Assign group roles to keep students directed and focused on progressing towards meeting predetermined goals
- Incorporate opportunities for personal and group reflection to address issues and identify positive and negative aspects of the process
Problem Based Learning
(PBL)
References:
Ertmer, P. & Simons, K. (2006). Jumping the pbl implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K-12 teachers. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning, 1(1), pp. 40-54.
Laureate Education, Inc., (Executive Producer). (2009a). Integrating Technology across the Content Areas: Spotlight on Technology: Problem-based learning, part-one. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc., (Executive Producer). (2009b). Integrating Technology across the Content Areas: Spotlight on Technology: Problem-based learning, part-two. Baltimore, MD: Author.
What is PBL?
- Problem Based Learning requires students to collaborate in order to solve a complex, ill-structured problem that encompasses authentic, discipline-based content (Ertmeyer and Simons, 2006).
Strengths of PBL
- Emphasizes the benefits of collaboration in devising solutions
- Requires reflective thinking to increase understanding
- Produces powerful meaning and deep understanding of content
Technological Support for PBL
- Provides opportunities for comparing and analyzing resources in the process of obtaining information
- Communication and collaboration through electronic devices and resources
- Supports the process of collecting data to support the problem’s resolution
- Creates a platform for reflection and progress monitoring
- Organization of individual members contributions to the process
- Scaffolding of student learning and differentiated means of demonstrating knowledge and understanding
Role of Collaboration
- Forces students to take initiative and leadership roles as needed
- Promotes positive interdependence and individual accountability
- Encourages conflict management through effective partnerships
Obstacles to Implementation of PBL
- Difficult to find a good problem
- Complexity of locating appropriate resources
- Requires scaffolding to address student needs which requires a highly skilled teacher
- Forces teachers to allow student-centered instruction with teacher functioning as a facilitator
- Securing resources (prior student work) to stage activities and encourage inquiry
- Determining effective groups
- Developing the collaborative culture and interdependence among students
Teacher Role
- Facilitative position supported by rituals to cue certain behaviors for both the teacher and students
- Ensure students are learning content through a variety of techniques:
- Articulating learning
- Quizzes / Checks
- Group debriefing
- Prepares students for PBL by introducing students to posthole units as students transition to PBL activities
- Support students by managing deadlines and addressing major issues relating to group dynamics
- Reflection