Session 6—Problem Based Learning

I think Problem Based Learning is a very motivating and interesting way for many subject areas, especially for professional skills. In PBL, students are given an authentic problem and go through the whole solving process within a group. They will definitely get familiar with knowledge related to the problem, learn how to work cooperatively, and gain research skills. However, I don’t think it is an easy job for teachers. Although teachers shift the control to students, that doesn’t mean the teachers get fewer work, for me, that means more jobs to do. Teachers need to have a well-designed problem and prepare a list of possible sources that they may need (of course, ill-structured one). Moreover, they must explain how PBL works explicitly to alleviate students’ anxiety about learning less as well as guide students to the next process or review current solution with constructive questions but never specify the steps. I think it’s a time-consuming process for teacher to design the course. Also, it’s very challenging for me to guide students with questions.

I am thinking that I can use this strategy the same way as what I thought of for Guided Design; the difference between these two strategies for my task is that Guided Design has specific steps for students to accomplish the task, and PBL asks students to come up with solutions themselves. So I think I can use the former strategy for beginner level class and the latter for advanced one. Also, I think that may be interesting to allow students to decide the question that they want to conduct research about it. I can give them a big topic such as Chinese history or culture, then students can think about what they want to know more and start the research. At the end of the course, groups can share their findings to each other, that way, every one cannot only learn from their own subject.

I think for this strategy, discussion is the most important part (between the group members and between group and teacher)! Therefore, I think Elluminate is the best tool for students to have meeting together since they can talk, type, and share the document or link with all group members. As to the resources that the teacher needs to provide, I think trailfire is a good way to show them the information.