Problem-based Learning Reflection
- 2. * * The hope is to engage students in relevant and realistic problem solving. * It is also used to challenge students to address real-life problems. * These kind of problems create meaningful situations in which the students can apply their own lives and gain useful experience and knowledge. * With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain deeper knowledge of the subjects they are studying.
- 3. * It prepares students for active – as opposed to passive – and responsible citizenship. * There is a strong emphasis on real-life skills, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and the ability to be creative and flexible. *
- 4. * * As opposed to the traditional style, students in problem-based learning are presented with an application of the content and analyze the material before they are taught to understand the concepts. * ALL curricula is related back to real life scenarios, whereas many traditional teaching styles do not make this connection.
- 5. 1. Learning is student-centered where the teacher acts as a facilitator. 2. Students collaboratively work towards addressing the general question together. 3. Learning is driven by the context of the problem and is not bounded by an established curriculum. *
- 6. * There is not always one right answer; teachers guide students instead of directly instructing what the final solution is. * Students take ownership of the direction and content of their learning. * The teacher sets guidelines and recommends, but leaves the students with many available choices and methods of achieving the end goal. *
- 7. * In problem-based learning, there is a very real sense of community. * The students are aware of their peers and work together to reach an end goal. * Problem-based learning emphasizes joint enterprise, shared repertoire, and mutual engagement. *
- 8. * Learning responsibility is placed in the hands of the learner. * Because they are their own guide, they determine where they want their content to take them and can openly explore new modes of learning, as well as new topics. *
- 9. * * Upon reflecting about problem-based learning, there were only a few times where I encountered it before attending college. * At my high school, my chemistry teacher was very good about giving us more than lab handouts and sending us off with only the directions. Instead, we were given guidelines about what we were/were not allowed to do with the chemicals, and then told to find the solution. * I can remember one clear example with a crime scene analysis that we were given and told to find the murderer. We had free reign with this very real-life problem and were allowed to explore whatever avenue we wanted in hopes to find the solution.
- 10. * Since attending Miami University, I can say I have been given many more opportunities like this. Professors are very good at giving us real world problems (like school politics, public school funding, dress codes, etc.) and told there are no right or wrong answers. * I feel as if these are the kind of problems that keep students engaged and interested in their learning. When it is pertinent to their life - when they can see a direct correlation - is when students learn best because they want to be, not because they are forced to.