This document discusses problem-based learning (PBL), a student-centered pedagogy where students learn through problem-solving. It defines PBL according to Barrows and explains its goals of developing flexible knowledge and problem-solving skills. The document also discusses how PBL follows constructivist learning principles and requires resources and planning to implement effectively in schools. Finally, it concludes that PBL represents a paradigm shift from traditional lecture-based teaching by developing different teaching constructs centered around problem-solving.

1. Assignment on,
PROBLEM BASED LEARNING
Submitted by,
Deepthi Rani.H. S
English optional,
Candidate code: 165/13376007

2. Introduction
Problem based learning is a student- centered pedagogy in
which students learn about a subject through the experience of problem
solving. Students learn both thinking strategies and domain knowledge .The
problem based learning format originated from the medical school of thought,
and is now used in other schools of thought too. The goals of problem based
learning are to help the students develop flexible knowledge, effective
problem solving skills, self-directed learning, effective collaboration skills
and intrinsic motivation. Problem – based learning is a style of active
learning.
Barrows defines the problem - based learning model as;
1. Student centered learning
2. Learning is done in small student groups, ideally 6-10 people
3. Facilitators or tutors guide the students rather than teach.
4. A problem forms the basis for the organized focus of the
Group and stimulates learning.
5. The problem is a vehicle for the development of problem Solving skills. It
stimulates the cognitive process.
6. New knowledge is obtained through self- directed learning.

3. In order to instill a project based learning environment into a classroom, the
teacher must revolve his or her teaching style around five main criteria.
1. Centrality
2. Driving question
3. Constructive investigation
4. Autonomy
5. Realism
The first being centrality, the projects are the curriculum in this case. So
everything the student needs to learn should be centered on the project that he
or she is working on. The second criterion that a teacher must meet is that
there must be a driving question that the student must answer through
completing the project. This question is the most important aspect to a
successful project based learning environment. Because it is what motivates
the student to learn as well as gives the student an idea of what knowledge is
expected lo be learned from the project. Also the question cannot have
predetermined outcome, it should require the student to use prior knowledge
to come up with a conclusion.
However, and the project should not be able to be put together based
solely on prior knowledge. The other criteria are constructive investigation,
Autonomy, Realism.All of these are important for the student. Because it
helps the student into the project and capture the attention as well as allows
for the student to make connections to real world situations.This is more
beneficial than a test because the students have to make these connections on

4. their own and gather information that interests them instead of just
memorizing facts for a test.
Problem based learning was pioneered in the medical school
program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in the late
1960s by Howard Barrows and his colleagues.
Traditional medical education disenchanted students, who
perceived the vast amount of material presented in the first three years of
medical school as having little relevance to the practice of medicine and
clinically based medicine. The problem based learning curriculum was
developed in order to stimulate the learners, assist the learners in seeing the
relevance of learning to future roles, maintain a higher level of motivation
towards learning, and to show the learners the importance of responsible,
professional attitudes.
Problem based learning has subsequently been adopted by other
medical school programs, adapted for undergraduate instruction, as well as k-
12. The use of problem based learning has expanded from its initial
introduction into medical school programmers to include education in the
areas of other health sciences, math, law, education economics, business,
social studies and engineering. The use of problem based learning, like other
student- centre pedagogies, has been motivated by recognition on the failures
of traditional instruction and the emergence of deeper understandings of how
people learn. Unlike traditional instruction, problem based learning actively
engages the student in constructing knowledge. Problem based learning
includes problems that can be solved in many different ways and have more
than one solution.

5. One of the aims of problem based learning is the development of
self –directed learning skills. In Loyne’s, Magadha and Risers’ discussion,
SDL is defined as “a process in which individuals take the initiative in
diagnosing their learning needs, formulating goals, identifying human and
material resources, choosing and implementing Appropriate learning
strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes. By being invited into the
learning process, students are also invited to take responsibility for their
learning, which leads to an increase in self- directed learning skills. In
Schmidt’s study of 305 first year college students.
They found that problem based learning and its focus on SDL led to
motivation for students to maintain study pace, led to social and academic
integration, encouraged development of cognitive skills, and fostered more
study progress than students in a conventional learning setting. Problem based
learning encourages learners to take a place in the academic world through
inquiring and discovery that is central to problem based learning.
Problem based learning is also argued as a learning method that can
promote the development of critical thinking skills. In problem based learning
students learn how to analyze a problem, identify relevant facts and generate
hypotheses, identify necessary information for solving the problem and make
reasonable judgments about solving the problem.
Employers have appreciated the positive attributes of communication,
team work; respect and collaboration that problem based learning experienced
students have developed. These skills provide for better future skills
preparation in the ever changing information explosion. Problem based
learning curriculum includes building these attributes through knowledge

6. building, written and interpersonal interaction and through the experience of
the problem solving process.
Education that aims merely at the development of skills needed
for productive activities is possible only in a simple society. The society
today has become complex and sophisticated through millenniums of
social evolution. Here, learning often promotes the existing social
hierarchy and structures. It assumes that the aim of education should be
the welfare and development of all. At the same time, it neglects and
ignores the needs and issues of the downtrodden in the society. The
learning system often does not promote realizations of these issues and
prepares the learner mentally to accept things as they are. We can
understand this if we look at how learners change after they come to
schools with an inquisitive mind-set when we boast of our literates and
well educated people, we do not realize the role of our learning system in
enslaving us as members of a consumerist society. Our present approach
to learning doesn’t question the inequalities and injustices prevalent in
our society even though it professes and pretends to uplift and develop
all. Needn’t this approach be changed?
Social reformation can also be achieved through education. The
slogan of the Renaissance period, ‘Get enlightened through knowledge’
points out the role of education in social liberation. Based on this aim, the
educational system of divisions of the society based on class and caste. We
have the responsibility to develop education to suit the times. Everyone
should get opportunities to grow and develop. Hadn’t there been social
inequalities, we could have provided such opportunities to all. The social
inequalities still exist. The society lives in a social, economic and cultural

7. environment developed through Millenniums. Our greatest challenge is to
implement a learning system that could ensure opportunities for all. This
should not be a dream that never comes true. The privileged classes can
easily achieve their ends whereas the under privileged will continue to
remain in their original state. As a result the aim of social development will
remain as a mirage. Therefore certain planned prioritizations and changes
are necessary to ensure social development of all classes.
A learning system that aims at social reformation should provide
opportunities:
• To work for social justice
• For balanced and judicious development
• To generate better citizens
• To promote a nationalistic spirit
• To promote consciousness of rights
• To promote an understanding of science and technology
• To promote logical thinking
• To realise and develop one’s own culture
• To develop vocational skills
• To assimilate social and democratic values
• To promote self-reliance
• To resist injustice
• To take up leadership in the construction and exchange of knowledge
• To promote critical thinking
The learning materials and principles of education that could be used
for social reformation have to be selected carefully. There are two schools
of thought in this regard. Some argue that we should develop the

8. knowledge and skills needed for social change through the present system
of education. The learners would then naturally work for social change.
The second school of thought argues that we should sensitise the learners
about the numerous issues faced by our society as the learning material
itself. Then the learners could intervene directly in social changes along
with their education. The first school of thought has some reservations. It
dissociates between the aims and processes of learning. Therefore a learner
might fail to link the means and ends of his/her education together. For
example a person who has learned the principles of swimming from books
can’t swim. The book on swimming becomes useless not because it doesn’t
deal with swimming, but because it doesn’t contain the real spirit of that
human activity called swimming. Hence the approach of the first school
which dissociates ends is not effective. We cannot achieve any serious
aim by following this method. The process of education that aims at social
change should be through social interventions themselves. We do not have
any precedents or prior experiences of this approach. We are treading a
new path that could qualitatively improve the educational scenario of
Kerala.
We have included social issues as the content of the new curriculum.
It is a challenging task to bring in various social issues into the framework
of formal education. In order to take up this challenge in its true sense, we
will have to design a locally maneuverable curriculum. Also we have to
consider the affinity of our contemporary society for informative learning
while we try to implement an issue based approach.
Our social life consists of physical, social and cultural spheres. Each
of these spheres has numerous problems. When we examine these
problems, we can identify certain common sources that generate a set of

9. problems. The genetic issues that could commonly be identified throughout
Kerala could be subjected to detailed analysis and study through the
curriculum. These genetic issues dealt with should have a bearing on all the
spheres of social life. For example, we experience floods and land bursts
throughout Kerala during the rainy season. But our experience of the
summer season is often water scarcity and drought. When we analyze this
common experience of Keralites we can see that it is due to lack of
scientific management of land water . We can list down such issue domains
that affect all spheres of our lives.
Issue domains that are felt throughout the state are
• Lack of scientific land water Management
• Issues related to agriculture
• Lack of cohesive universal vision
• Lack of human resource development
• Lack of cultural consciousness
• Lack of eco-friendly industrialization and urbanization
• The issues of the marginalized
• Issues related to health and public health
We can trace the roots of many social problems that we encounter in
these issue domains. Each of these general issues has many locally specific
variants. We cannot address all of them through our curriculum. However
we can help the learners develop a method for approaching each of these
issues. These issues are developed and sensitized using various discourses
which provide a linguistically rich environment in the classrooms. The
learners are to develop a linguistic competence to intervene in the social
issues. They have to deal with the problems and formulate their ideas,
opinions and attitudes about them. The issue based curriculum should

10. ignite thoughts and activities among learners. Moreover they should be able
to intervene in the thoughts, activities and perspectives of the people
around him. Learning of this kind becomes a linking of experiences with a
social aim. Thus education can become more fruitful than ever before.
Demands of implementing
Implementing problem, based learning in schools and universities is a
demanding process that requires resources a lot of planning and
organization.Azer discusses the 12 steps for implementing the “pure problem
based learning”. Prepare faculty for change
1. Establish a new curriculum committee and working group.
2. Designing the new problem based learning curriculum and defining
educational outcomes.
3. Seeking advice from experts in problem based learning.
4. Planning, organizing and managing
5. Training problem based learning facilitators and defining the objectives of a
facilitator.
6. Introducing students to the problem based learning program
7. Using 3-learning to support the delivery of the problem based learning
program.
8. Changing the assessment to suit the problem based learning curriculum.

11. 9. Encouraging feedback from students and teaching staff.
10. Managing learning recourse and facilitators that support self-directed
learning
11. Continuing evaluation making changes.
Constructivism and problem based learning
Problem based learning addresses the need to promote lifelong learning
through the process of inquiry and constructivist learning. Problem based
learning can be considered a constructivist approach to instruction, emphasizing
collaborative and self –directed learning and being supported by flexible teacher
scaffolding. Yew and Schmidt, Hung elaborate on the cognitive constructivist
process of problem based learning.
Learners are presented with a problem and through discussion within their
group, activate their prior knowledge. Within their group, they develop possible
theories or hypothesis to explain the problem. Together they identify learning
issues to be researched.
They construct a shared primary model to explain the problem at hand.
Facilitators provide scaffold, which is a frame work on which students can
construct knowledge relating to the problem. After the initial team work,
students work independently in self- directed study to research the identified
issues.Problem based learning follows constructivist perspective in learning as
the role of the instructor is to guide and challenge the learning process rather
than strictly providing knowledge. From this perspective feedback and reflection
on the learning process and group dynamics are essential components of
problem based learning .

12. Conclusion
Working in groups, students identify what they already know, what they
need to know, and how and where to access new information that may lead to
resolution of the problem. The role of the instructor is to facilitate learning by
supporting guiding, and monitoring the learning process. The tutor must build
students’ confidence to take on the problem, and encourage the students,
while also stretching their understanding. Problem based learning represents a
paradigm shift from traditional teaching and learning philosophy, which is
more often lecture – based. The constructs for teaching problem based
learning are very different from traditional classroom/ lecture teaching.
Reference
1. Farley; Ecological economics, a workbook for problem based learning.
2. Dolmans; Future challenges for educational practice and research.
3. Schmidt; Veterinary public health in a problem based learning curriculum.