1. Ed, Elizabeth, and Kimberly UW-Stout Spring 2008

2.  Discussion question option 1: ◦ When considering implementing a Problem-Based Learning curriculum in your own teaching environment:  (a) What do you foresee as possible conflicts in adapting your teaching style?  (b) What considerations must you make for diverse learning styles of your students?  Discussion question option 2: ◦ Which classroom environment is PBL more inclusive for facilitation of this type of learning: (a) K-3, 4-8, 9-12, College, and why?  Give some examples.

3.  “PBL expects students to collectively experience contextualized, relevant, ill structured problems and to strive to find and create meaningful solutions.” (Igo, 2008).  Students are presented with an authentic problem.  “The idea is to use the problem to introduce the concepts and problem solving skills necessary to solve the problem.” (Massa, 2008).  Developed originally at McMaster University.  Has grown and been adapted by many educators and professionals since the 1970s.

4.  Can be a messy situation ◦ Should not be easy or clear-cut  Can be confusing to a degree to provoke curiosity by students  Parameters may be blurry and expand or shrink over-time  Is intended to have multiple possible solutions  Does not require a “correct” answer  Is not stagnant or uniform ◦ Should be malleable over the course of investigation ◦ May lead to cross-curricular learning

5.  Problem analysis ◦ Students have an authentic problem presented to them ◦ In groups they frame and analyze the problem  Determine what they know, need to know, outline the situation, and develop probable outcomes  Self-directed learning ◦ Students need to work to find the information needed as indicated in the analysis ◦ Set learning goals ◦ Determine resources needed to solve the problem ◦ Split up the tasks amongst themselves  Brainstorming ◦ Students share new knowledge with group ◦ Listen to each other to determine own level of learning  Solution testing ◦ Determine a tentative solution ◦ Determine if the possible solution satisfies the desired outcomes ◦ If it satisfies desired outcomes, it is presented to peers to validate the solution ◦ If it is not validated, the above steps are repeated

6.  This flow chart illustrates the process or stages of a PBL lesson from start to finish.  Note the ill structure and unclear path  Chart from http://www.usc.edu/hsc/dental/ccmb/usc- csp/chartpbl.pdfhttp://www.usc.edu/hsc/dental/ccmb/usc- csp/chartpbl.pdf

7.  Increased student involvement  Deeper meaning and understanding gained by students  Incorporates all learning styles: audio, visual and hands on.  Uses a step-by-step process that deals with the discovery facts not emotions.  Working a real-time problem within a group as you would in workforce.  Enables you to learn and work out the complexities of group dynamics in a safe setting.  Scenarios do have a solution.  Group receives one grade for the group.

8.  Frustration by students because of ill structure nature of problem  Requires teacher to adapt and facilitate to a very high degree  Problems within the group quickly come to a head due to time constraints.  Students may not have sufficient expertise to provide a viable solution.  Scenarios may not provide enough background information to identify the real problems.  Facilitator may not have a sufficient expertise to deal with the scenario  Facilitator may not have sufficient expertise to be able to deal with problems that arise within group dynamics.  Only one grade received, some group members may work harder than others but still receive the same grade.

9.  Teacher as coach ◦ Teacher facilitates learning by:  Monitoring the learning process rather than direct instruction  Pointing students in the correct direction of resources and skills to facilitate solution seeking  Asking questions to keep the process moving and students interested  Effective Questioning Techniques http://www.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/311content/questioning/techniques.html http://www.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/311content/questioning/techniques.html  Dealing with the dynamics involved with group work so the process does not bog down  Student as active problem-solver ◦ Students are active in every phase of identifying and solving the problem

10.  Task: Teacher has a city designed and built by students ◦ The students may not know what the final outcome is, only they need to build a city. ◦ The inquiry is very open allowing the students to discover aspects that may not have been apparent. ◦ Teacher introduces various scenarios/problems to students throughout the semester.  Each scenario deals with a different aspect of the city.  Example: Having a sewage system.  Students identify the facts about sewage systems; brainstorm ideas about what the problem really is and what they think about the situation.  This may lead to: How various systems work, alternative sewage systems, environmental issues, the role that soil plays in waste disposal, the impact on the water supply, waste disposal legislation, debates about the pros and cons of public/private operations, water contamination and/or purification etc.  The next scenario/problem may take them in-depth into different aspects of water purification systems, building on the knowledge they gained in the previous scenario/problem. ◦ At the end of the semester, the city is built, and in-depth research has been done on each piece of the city’s infrastructure. (Cox-Peterson, A., Shuler, C., Thompson, P., Wang, H., 1998).

11.  Remember hands-on materials are important in PBL lessons: ◦ Hands-on materials are powerful tools to learn concepts and to test hypotheses in order to refine ideas ◦ A scenario/problem that has a learning need about why a seed won’t grow could utilize a kit to test soil samples, or water samples, or a weather study could result. ◦ Anticipate what may be needed so that materials are on hand. ◦ Think artistically: field sketching, clay, botanical drawing, dance, plays, robot building, etc  (Cox-Peterson, A., et al, 1998)

12.  This example is a full PDF of a PBL lesson about genetics from start to finish, for a 7th grade class that covers Language Arts, Math and Science curriculum. (Smyre, K. 2002). ◦ http://www.ncsu.edu/pbl/pdf/KathySmyrePBLunit.pdf http://www.ncsu.edu/pbl/pdf/KathySmyrePBLunit.pdf  For additional PBL lesson examples, consult the following sites: ◦ http://www.amphi.com/teachers/pgreenleaf/edtech/pblactivities.html http://www.amphi.com/teachers/pgreenleaf/edtech/pblactivities.html ◦ http://www.ncsu.edu/pbl/index.html http://www.ncsu.edu/pbl/index.html ◦ http://www.udel.edu/pbl/problems/ http://www.udel.edu/pbl/problems/

13. Cox-Peterson, A., Shuler, C., Thompson, P., Wang, H., USC California Science Project Leadership Cohort (1998). Problem Bases Learning: PBL Quick Facts. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from http://www.usc.edu/hsc/dental/ccmb/usc- csp/Quikfacts.htmhttp://www.usc.edu/hsc/dental/ccmb/usc- csp/Quikfacts.htm Igo, C., Moore, D., Ramsey, J., & Ricketts, J. (2008, January). The Problem- Solving Approach. Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 83(1), 52- 55. Retrieved April 5, 2008, from Academic Search Elite database. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (August 2006). Problem-Based Learning Network @ IMSA. Retrieved 3, April 2008 from http://www2.imsa.edu/programs/pbln/ http://www2.imsa.edu/programs/pbln/ Illinois State University Department of Physics. (No date). Effective Questioning Techniques. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from http://www.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/311content/questioning/techniques.html http://www.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/311content/questioning/techniques.html Massa, N. (2008, Winter). Problem-Based Learning (PBL). New England Journal of Higher Education, 22(4), 19-20. Retrieved April 5, 2008, from Academic Search Elite database. Smyre, K. (2002). The Bottom Line. Retrieved April 3, 2008 from http://www.ncsu.edu/pbl/pdf/KathySmyrePBLunit.pdf http://www.ncsu.edu/pbl/pdf/KathySmyrePBLunit.pdf White, Harold B. (1996). Dan Tries Problem-Based Learning: A Case Study.To Improve the Academy Vol. 15 (pp. 75 - 91). Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press and the Professional and Organizational Network in Higher Education from http://www.udel.edu/pbl/dancase3.html http://www.udel.edu/pbl/dancase3.html