PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

CHAPTER 4

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Problem-Based Learning is an approach that challenges students to learn through engagement in a real problem. It is a format that simultaneously develops both problem solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills by placing students in the active role of problem-solvers confronted with an ill-structured situation that simulates the kind of problems they are likely to face as future managers in complex organizations. Students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem found in trigger material. Learning takes place within the contexts of authentic tasks, issues, and problems--that are aligned with real-world concerns. In a PBL course, students and the instructor become co learners, co planners, coproduces, and co evaluators as they design, implement, and continually refine their curricula. The PBL approach is grounded in solid academic research on learning and on the best practices that promote it. This approach stimulates students to take responsibility for their own learning, since there are few lectures, no structured sequence of assigned readings, and so on. PBL is unique in that it fosters collaboration among students, stresses the development of problem solving skills within the context of professional practice, promotes effective reasoning and self-directed learning, and is aimed at increasing motivation for life-long learning.

Project- Based Learning focuses on a production model.  As the name implies involves a project which involves a complex task and some form of student presentation and/or creating an actual product. Project-based learning is a comprehensive perspective focused on teaching by engaging students in investigation (Blumenfeld). Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy that involves a dynamic classroom approach in which it is believed that students acquire a deeper knowledge through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems. Students learn about a subject by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a complex question, challenge, or problem. Comprehensive project-based learning is organized around an open-ended driving question or challenge. It creates a need to know essential content and skills. It requires inquiry to learn and/or create something new. It requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various forms of communication, often known as "21st Century Skills." Also allows some degree of student voice and choice. Incorporates feedback and revision and results in a publicly presented product or performance.

There are assessment in PBL and PrBL and in K to12 and the Four Levels of Learning Outcomes to be assessed in K to 12 are Knowledge, Process or Skills, Understanding and Products/performance. Knowledge is substantive content of the curriculum, able facts and information that the student acquires. Process is skills or cognitive operations that the students perform on facts and information for the purpose of constructing meanings and understanding. Understanding is enduring big ideas, principles and generalizations inherent to the discipline which are assessed by the 6 facets of understanding. And Products/Performance is enduring big ideas, principles and generalizations inherent to the discipline which are assessed by the 6 facets of understanding.

Problem-based learning is students learn about a topic through the solving of problems and generally work in groups to solve the problem where, often, there is no one correct answer. Project-based learning is an instructional approach where students learn by investigating a complex question, problem or challenge. Students explore real-world problems and find answers through the completion of a project. Students also have some control over the project they will be working on, how the project will finish, as well as the end product. The difference between problem-based learning and project-based learning is that students who complete problem-based learning often share the outcomes and jointly set the learning goals and outcomes with the teacher. On the other hand, project-based learning is an approach where the goals are set. It is also quite structured in the way that the teaching occurs. Project-based learning is often multidisciplinary and longer, whereas problem based learning is more likely to be a single subject and shorter. Generally, project-based learning follows general steps while problem-based learning provides specific steps. It is probably the importance of conducting active learning with students that is worthy and not the actual name of the task. For me, both problem-based and project-based learning have their place in today’s classroom and can promote 21st Century learning.

These approaches can be applied by helping students apply what they learn to real-life experiences. Students can present their information in a variety of ways that are conducive to their learning style and allowing students to showcase their creativity. Students are encouraged to be very active and engaged learners while exploring world problems and challenges. Also, engaging them with team building making activities and letting them explore and discover.