This presentation was used to support a Higher Education Academy workshop on using PBL to deliver employability skills. It provides suggested activities for identifying triggers and scaffolding the development of employability skills.

1. Company
LOGO
Using PBL to deliver Employability Skills
Dr Kay Hack and Dr Aine McKillop
School of Biomedical Sciences
University of Ulster at Coleraine

2. Using PBL to Deliver Employability Skills
1. What is PBL?
2. PBL workshop activity
3. PBL Triggers
4. Triggers to develop Employability Skills
March 31st 2011 2Using Technology to Support PBL

3. What is PBL?
“A learning method based on the principle of
using problems as a starting point for the
acquisition and integration of new
knowledge”
Barrows, 1982

4. • We never educate directly, but indirectly by
means of the environment
• John Dewey, 1906
• Learning is a social activity
We need to create a social environment conducive
to learning

5. Skills, capabilities and attitudes Mean
Ranking
An ability to work collaboratively with teams of people from a range of backgrounds
and countries
8.2
Excellent communication skills: both speaking and listening 7.5
A high degree of drive and resilience 5.6
An ability to embrace multiple perspectives and challenge thinking 5.4
A capacity to develop new skills and behaviours according to role requirements 4.6
A high degree of self awareness 4.4
An ability to negotiate and influence clients across the globe from different cultures 4
An ability to form professional, global networks 3.9
An openness to and respect of a range of perspectives from around the world 3.6
Multi-cultural learning ability 2.4
CIHE 2011 ‘Global Graduates into Global Leaders’
Key graduate global competencies

6. In the PBL Process
Students:
• Think critically, analyse and solve problems and
have the ability to arrive at informed judgments
• Find, evaluate and use appropriate resources
• Work co-operatively in teams and small groups
• Are flexible, adaptable, motivated and creative
• Communicate with peers and tutors
• Select and apply content knowledge and
intellectual skills to a given situation
Professional education for professional life

7. • PBL is a student-centred approach designed to
facilitate co-operative learning and encourage
students to engage in deep learning.
• Simulates the ‘real world’
• Highly motivates students when actively involved
• Learn in context
• Experience negotiation and networking skills
Why use Problem Based Learning?

8. PBL Resource Centre
http://teachingcommunity.ulster.ac.uk/PBL

9. Using PBL to Deliver Employability Skills
1. What is PBL?
2. PBL workshop activity
3. PBL Triggers
4. Triggers to develop Employability Skills
March 31st 2011 9Using Technology to Support PBL

10. Workshop Activity 2

11. Workshop
 Ideas/Hypothesis
 Brainstorm
 Facts/Information
 Clarify facts given in the problem
 Learning Issues
 What needs to be learned to
 Action Plan
 Who needs to do what to resolve problem

12. PBL Activity Proforma
 Trigger: Cartoon on graduation and
(un)employment
 Primary Employability Skill:
Communication with peers and careers
advisors
 Additional Employability Skills:
Reflection on skills and attributes in
relation to career development, managing
learning and performance.

13. Using PBL to Deliver Employability Skills
1. What is PBL?
2. PBL workshop activity
3. PBL Triggers
4. Triggers to develop Employability Skills
March 31st 2011 13Using Technology to Support PBL

14. PBL and cognitive skills
Well designed PBL
problems move students
beyond the lower
cognitive skills of
knowledge and
understanding towards
the higher levels of
analysis, synthesis and
evaluation.

15. Good PBL problems
• Are realistic
• Have no ‘right answer’ , are
framed as open ended
questions which require
discussion and challenge
the students to make
informed judgments.
• Relate to module and course
objectives, includes both the
content and the
development of key
intellectual, professional and
transferable skills.
• They should challenge more
able students as well as
allowing all students to
participate
• Require a range of
resources, including
personal resources and e-
resources
• Be multi-stage and require
the students to work on the
problem over a period of
time.

16. • Must engage interest and
motivate students to seek a
deep understanding of the
concepts being introduced
• Often will be controversial to
stimulate interest
• Contain sufficient aspects
and triggers to stimulate
discussion and encourage
students to seek further
information for the relevant
issues.
• Use research papers, case
studies, newspaper articles,
news events, abstracts from
grant proposals and others
• Members of the group may
be assigned to research
different aspects of the
problem
• Tutor needs to be cognisant
of the curriculum and the
level of understanding of the
students involved.
Strategies for writing problems

17. PBL Triggers: Newspapers
 Provide newspaper
article/ editorial
 Release alternative
viewpoint / additional
information during
PBL exercise

18. PBL Triggers: video

19. PBL Triggers Cartoons

20. PBL Triggers: Social
Media

21. Using PBL to Deliver Employability Skills
1. What is PBL?
2. PBL workshop activity
3. PBL Triggers
4. Triggers to develop Employability Skills
March 31st 2011 21Using Technology to Support PBL

22. PBL Triggers:videos

23. PBL Activity Proforma
 Trigger: A short video clip discussing the
production of genetically modified animals
for consumption.
 Primary Employability Skill:
Communication with Peers: Speaking,
presenting ethical arguments.
 Additional Employability Skills: team
working, negotiating, decision making,
researching information.

24. Workshop Activity 3
 Identify a PBL activity/trigger to address
an employability skill
 Develop a proforma for sharing with group