1. PGCAP
LTHE module
@pgcap
1

2.  Explain the basics of PBL
 Discuss how PBL could be used in own
practice
3

3.  Discuss common characteristics and
differences in pairs
4

4. passive > active > accelerated
5

5.  broad umbrella term
 Individual students/groups of students seeking resolutions to
questions/issues, following own line of enquiry
 contextualised questioning (building on existing knowledge)
 leading to knowledge formation
 develop problem solving skills, inquiring attitudes and lifelong
learning habits
 tutor facilitates learning PBL main differences
•Problem first
•Structure and process
•Small groups
6

6. Grown since 1960s pioneered at McMaster
University
http://www.mcmaster.ca/home.cfm
with medical students (Howard Barrows)
Strong evidence that it works well!!!
Whole university approach: Maastricht University
http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Main/AboutUM.htm
http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Main/Education/EducationalProfile/Pr
oblemBasedLearning.htm
7

7. Can be used:
Small •Face-to-face
Traditional
lecture
group •Blended
learning •Fully online
Subject Problem
based based
Co-
Competitive
operative
learning
earning
8

8.  Developing ‘skills’ and subject specific
reasoning skills
 Learning takes place in ‘context’ for
students
 Self-directed learning is promoted
Savin-Baden (1996)
source: Busfield, J & Peijs, T (2003) Learning Materials
in a Problem Based Course
9

9. ill-structured threshold
content
scenarios/triggers concepts
 Problems embedded in scenarios
 Students discover problems
 Learner ownership
 In small groups (PBL tutorials)
 Search for solutions
 PBL tutor
10

10.  Authentic, genuinely
problematic
 Trigger learning
 Media
11

11. stage 1: explore the problem
stage 2: discover known and unknown,
plan
stage 3 : research and share
stage 4: apply
stage 5: present
based on Mills, D (2006) Problem-based learning: An overview, available at
http://www.c-sap.bham.ac.uk/resources/project_reports/ShowOverview.asp?id=4 [accessed 5
March 2010]
12

12. McLoughlin & Darvill (2006)
Part 1: trigger introduction
Search the problem
Ask each other
List what you know
Find out what the group doesn’t know
Outcomes and goals to be set
Part 2: trigger review
Review group learning
Part 3: presentation
Disseminate
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6WNX-
4NCK23P-1-
5&_cdi=6974&_user=899537&_pii=S0260691706000621&_origin=searc
h&_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2007&_sk=999729995&view=c&wchp=dGL
bVzb-
zSkzV&md5=e5d5743a7dd6f2102fc36a75e6cdbb3f&ie=/sdarticle.pdf
13

13. I facilitate team meetings/tutorials, I record what is
stimulate debate said/agreed during
make sure that everybody is meetings,
participating and that record any issues
the PBL process is used. summarise and
I also co-ordinate learning and synthesise
tasks (who does what and by
when)
I facilitate the PBL
process and
reflection, ask
open questions. I
need to
remember to step I keep track of time
back and not during
lecture! I share/read the meetings/tutorials,
problem remind team
scenario, members how
draw attention much time is left
to key elements
of the scenario
14

14.  Resource intensive
 Stressful for staff and students
 Time intensive (Des Marchais, 1993)
 Covering less curriculum content 80%
(Albanese and Mitchell, 1993)
 Scenarios too ill-structured: students
disorientated (McLoughlin & Oliver, online)
15

15. In your group explore the
photograph/scenario provided.
Apply the PBL approach to identify
the problem(s), define intended
learning outcomes and come up
with solutions.
stage 1: explore the problem
stage 2: discover known and
unknown, plan
stage 3 : research and share
stage 4: apply
Assessment criteria
•Issues identified
stage 5: present
•Solutions
16

16. Think about the following:
•Could PBL features be used within lectures?
•Could PBL be used for large-group teaching?
•How could you use PBL in one of your
modules/programmes/sessions?
17

17.  Students
and facilitators to familiarise with
PBL before using it!
18

18. UK Centre for Legal Education
http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/teaching-
and-learning-practices/pbl/
PBL collection
http://delicious.com/chrissinerantzi/pbl
19

19. Albanese M A & Mitchell S (1993) Problem-based learning: a review of literature on its outcomes and implementation
issues. Acad Med, pp. 68: 52-81.
Barrows, H S (2000) Problem-based learning applied to medical education, Southern Illinois School of Medicine: Illinois
Des Marchais, J E (1993) A student-centred, problem-based curriculum: 5 years' experience. Can Med Assoc J, pp.
1567-1572.
McLoughlin, M & Darvill, A (2007) Peeling back the layers of learning: A classroom model for problem-based learning,
in: Nurse Education Today , 27, pp. 271-277.
McLoughlin, C & Oliver, R (online) Problem-based learning (PBL):Developing learning capability through the WWW,
available at http://elrond.scam.ecu.edu.au/oliver/docs/99/ODLAA.pdf [accessed 11 February 2011]
Mills, D (2006) Problem-based learning: An overview, available at
http://www.c-sap.bham.ac.uk/resources/project_reports/ShowOverview.asp?id=4 [accessed 5 March 2010]
Savin-Baden, M, (1996) Problem-based learning: a catalyst for enabling and disablling disjunction prompting transitions
in learner stances? Ph D thesis University of London. Institute of Education
Woods, D R (1994) How to Gain the Most from PBL, Hamilton: McMaster University
20

20. The LTHE Module Team
University of Salford, Academic Development Unit
Twitter @pgcap
21