ID Meets IT Part 5: Problem-Based Learning

Anyone familiar with a KWL chart and its big brother the KWHL chart, probably has at least some experience with problem-based learning (PBL). In it's simplest form, PBL starts with what you (K)now about a problem, identifies gaps between (W)hat you know and need know to solve the problem, progresses to (H)ow you will bridge this gap, and ultimately evaluate what you've (L)earned. This process repeats, continuously building upon prior knowledge, integrating new knowledge and ultimately synthesizing what's been learned until there is enough information to solve the problem. I this sense, PBL flips the traditional deficit driven approach to learning on it head by having student immediately address the problem first with what they know, not informing them of what they don't. Students tackle problems immediately, acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills along the way, rather than being taught the skills and content necessary to solve the problem beforehand.

Having watched several episodes of House with my mother-in-law over last winter break, it's not surprising PBL originated in the medical field, at least if anything about the true medical professional can be inferred from a fictional dramedy about a crotchety caregiver and his supporting staff. As an instructional method, PBL was designed to address two problems in the medical field: the need for doctors to develop relevant knowledge and problem-solving skills, and the ability to continue doing so in a constantly evolving profession.

The later adoption of PBL by other professional schools, undergraduate programs and even the K-12 level makes increasing sense in a world that is rapidly changing as a result of the exponential growth of new technologies and the problems and opportunities they create.  Aside from from the inquiry and problem-solving skills gained by placing an emphasis on learning as a process, students of PBL have also demonstrated deeper understanding and retention of content, increased motivation and teamwork skills.

Despite these advantages, its been my experience that PBL still remains on the relative fringe of K-12 and even higher education. Hung, Harpole & Jonassen (2003) suggest a number of reasons for this, but two that I think especially resonate with K-12 education --obstacles in which I've encountered myself-- are depth vs. breath and long term gains vs. short term outcomes. As elementary practitioner, I'm familiar with the vast number of objectives that students are expected to individually demonstrate mastery of, both on regular formative assessments and summative benchmarks and end of grade tests. NCLB has in some sense turned education into a series short games by indirectly placing an emphasis on frequent assessment of isolated skills. Because the rationale behind PBL, and cooperative learning in general, closely align with my own personal philosophy of learning, I've frequently used group work and cooperative learning, and PBL proper to a lesser degree, on small, structured activities like designing floor a plan during a perimeter/area unit. But using PBL on a larger scale and over longer periods, despite the long-term advantages for the student, feels like a very risky endeavor to many teachers who are in school where assessment results are constantly being monitored and are a primary means of evaluation for the student and teacher.

That being said, Hung et al. provide a number informative strategies, but I think technology also plays a role in solving the very problems it helped to create, i.e. the need to continuously learn in an rapidly changing world and the need to keep pace with the technologies that are driving this change. Individual accountability, a difficult task in PBL, can be addressed through virtually any online collaboration tool requires an account, as these technologies allow teachers to easily track individual contributions such what students already (K)now.  The search engine and online databases such as NC LIVE provide powerful tools for filling the gap between what's known and (W)hat needs to be known in the form of relatively quick and easy access to nearly limitless supply of information. Of course effective use of these tools requires digital literacies which need to be taught, but once gained, provide a key to unlocking the (H)ow learning gaps can be bridged. And whether our learners or face-to-face or distant, presentation tools allow students to share what they've (L)earned with a larger audience and in a more engaging way.

I mentioned the importance of digital literacy in assisting problem based learning, but I think PBL addresses something far more important and is best summed up with this quote by Alvin Toffler, "The illiterate of the future will not be those who cannot read or write. They are those that can not learn, unlearn, relearn."