LEARNING AND TEACHING : THEORIES, APPROACHES AND MODELS CHAPTER 11: PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hidayet Tok Zirve University, Faculty of Education (Translated by Tülin Şenmerdan Uçar) WHAT IS PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING? In an age in which knowledge doubles every ten years and spreads too fast, it has become impossible for information to be memorized. This situation has brought to the forefront the individual who can use knowledge, question, think, discuss and solve problems and made it compulsory for him to be trained in this direction. The approach proposed for the education of such individuals is Problem- based Learning. Problem-based learning has taken its bases from John Dewey’s views of “learning from experience”. Problem-based learning (PBL), which is a teaching method which tries to ensure that students learn by working in groups and in cooperation to research the real global problems, is known to have been pioneered and put into practice by The Faculty of Medicine, McMaster University of Ontario, Canada and used for the first time in the curriculum of Health Sciences in 1960’s.1 Since then, it has been a teaching approach used in many disciplines such as engineering, law and architecture. The use of problem-based learning in education began in 1980’s. Why problem-based learning started to be used in education is because it was noticed that students could keep only little knowledge in their memory and were not able to use knowledge in other fields by transforming it when the traditional method was used. 2 Problem-based learning constitutes one of the most important practices of the constructivist learning- teaching concept.3 Problem-based learning exposes students to a complicated situation or incident and encumbers them with the role of “ possession of” the problem or of “responsibility for” the incident. Students define the real problem and learn whatever is necessary to work out a valid solution by means of research. Problem-based learning represents a learning based on experience, which calls for the active use of both the mind and skills of the individuals. Problem-based learning is an educational approach aiming to upskill students in learning how to learn and to increase their capacity for learning.4 Problem-based learning is an approach, which focuses on the problem, from teaching objectives to students’ behaviour and from the method and technique to be used up to measurement and evaluation procedures. Consequently, first of all, the goals and behaviours need to be determined in such an approach. Subsequently, the methods and techniques to be used at the stage of problem solving will need setting. While some educators consider problem-based learning as a teaching method, a great majority of them consider it an approach for a teaching and training program.5 Problem-based learning has evolved out of an extensive repertoire which searches how people will be able to obtain and transfer knowledge. Watson and Matthews state that problem-based learning has three main characteristics6: 1. It is an organization of problem-based teaching. It has a totalitarian structure and emphasizes especially cognitive levels. 2. It has a structure facilitating the experiences in small groups, special education and active learning processes. 154 LEARNING AND TEACHING : THEORIES, APPROACHES AND MODELS 3. It develops skills and motivation and maintains the skill for lifelong learning. CHARACTERISTICS OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING The Steps for the Practice of Problem-based Learning Problem-based learning may include different steps of practice in the teaching of many disciplines. However, the basic steps for all problem-based learning practices in the literature are as follows: 1. Meeting the problem and defining it 2. Determining what one knows and what he needs to know and putting his thoughts into order 3. Gathering and sharing information 4. Producing potential solutions and hypotheses 5. Determining the learning issues 6. The application of the new knowledge to the problem and reevaluation 7. Identifying the best solution 8. Explaining the problem and its solution briefly 9. Evaluation and presentation of new learning7 The practice process of problem-based learning has been given in six steps in the diagram below. Information Gathering Evaluation 6 Diagram 1: Practice process of PBL I. Meeting the problem: The tutor presents an ill-structured problem associated with real life to his students in small groups in a scenarized way. Students try to define the problem presented to them basing on their prior knowledge. II. Planning learning: By exchanging views in groups, what is known about the problem is put into order and the points needed to be known are written down under the title “learning issues”. Following a debate on potential solutions, the hypotheses produced are noted down. It is determined, benefiting from the guidance of the tutor as well, which information gathering method and resources will be needed for the solution and how they will be accessed. Plannings are carried out on each learning issue with attention paid to division of labour. III. Gathering information: Information is gathered in an effort to access resources of information (library, internet, personal resources, etc.) Data needed is obtained via measurements carried out by means of methods (observation, experiment, etc.) intended for the solution to the problem. IV. Solution: The data obtained is shared and interpreted. Potential solutions to the problem are discussed in groups and the best solution is determined. V. Presentation: The solution identified for the problem situation is presented as a suggestion and explained to the other groups briefly. Views and criticisms about the suggestion are written down. 155 LEARNING AND TEACHING : THEORIES, APPROACHES AND MODELS VI. Evaluation: Students assess, from their points of view, the components of problem-based learning program and their performance during the process. Basing on learning products, the tutor carries out measurements and evaluations about the performance of his students. The Role of the Tutor The role of the tutor in problem-based learning approach is different from that of the traditional tutor. In problem-based learning, the tutor owns the role of a guide within the classroom and assists students in learning. He leads them about how to think and solve problems and directs their performance. Roles of a tutor in problem-based learning can be listed like this8: 1. The tutor is motivated to spare time for the practice of problem-based learning, that is, PBL activities, deal closely with the performance of students, make them understand better and show that he gets pleasure from PBL activities. 2. He prepares true-life and well-designed problems and presents students with the problem situation using the media such as written scenarios, drawings, computer animations, video and tape-recorder. 3. He checks the accessibility of the resources such as books, periodicals and web, to which students can be directed for the PBL practices, and how practical they are for the work to be carried out. 4. He clearly identifies the goals, acquisitions, strategy and techniques in order to assess the learnings. 5. In PBL sessions, inexperienced students tend to forward their questions and information directly to the tutor. For this reason, the tutor keeps the groups under supervision and directs them to share what they know and their questions, if they have any, with the members of the group. 6. He addresses them questions to increase their comprehension to higher levels and to enable them to make in-depth analysis of the problem presented. 7. In order to create an atmosphere in which students share their views without getting possessed by the fear of being ridiculed, he guesses the ones who intend to ask a question but abstain, supports them and values their opinions. 8. He summarizes to the groups the positions they have reached so as to help them to check their work processes and to go ahead. He behaves impartially as far as possible while making this summary. 9. In cases groups have come to a point where they cannot go any further or in the decision- making processes of the ones who are not yet accustomed to PBL, he suggests some alternatives. 10. He monitors the PBL process of the groups. This is important in terms of both his place and the places of the groups within the process. 11. He includes questions for which he will be able to get the impressions of the students about the process both individually and as a group. 12. He gets free of the role of a sage and undertakes the role of a guide and a facilitator. The Role of the Student Problem-based learning is a student-centered approach. Therefore, the most important task lies within the student. In problem-based learning, the tutor and the student interchange their roles. In this method, the responsibilities of students in learning increase. Students move from a passive position to an active one. Students are persons who think, know and solve problems. The situation is that of a student who has turned into a tutor and of a tutor who has turned into a student, so to speak. In problem-based learning, students are asked to learn as soon as possible how to succeed in self- directed learning. In this approach, the role, which students undertake in learning, has completely changed. Students who structure information actively have replaced passive receivers. Students working in groups need to organize their prior knowledge and define problem situations. Students should be inquisitive about things they do not understand, the design of a problem-solving plan and how to identify the resources needed.9 1. Analyzing the problem situation by comprehending the structure of the problem broadly. 156 LEARNING AND TEACHING : THEORIES, APPROACHES AND MODELS 2.