Reimagine Teaching Library Resource Guide

This short document introduces problem based learning and describes the roles of instructor and the learner in the process.

Brian Pete and Robin Fogarty present ways to use problem-based learning as a daily approach to helping students learn authentic and relevant skills..

Problem-based approaches to learning have a long history of advocating experience-based education. Psychological research and theory suggests that by having students learn through the experience of solving problems, they can learn both content and thinking strategies. Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method in which students learn through facilitated problem solving. In PBL, student learning centers on a complex problem that does not have a single correct answer.

The article provides information on problem-based learning (PBL). It was developed for use in medical school education in the 1970s. Other disciplines that adopted PBL are cited. PBL is learner-centered technique in which the problem situation facilitates the learning. There are four stages in PBL which include problem analysis, self-directed learning, brainstorming, and solution testing. Particular focus is given to the implementation of PBL, along with the New England Board of Higher Education's multimedia-based PBL instructional materials.

The article focuses on participation of the Community College of Philadelphia in Advancing Underserved Student Success through Faculty Intentionality in Problem-Centered Learning project of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Topics include professional development of faculty through participation as it allowed interaction with others, using the Problem Solving VALUE Rubric of AAC&U for transparency in problem-based assignments and improving course materials.

The University of Delaware maintains these problems by discipline for instructors to use or to publish their own.