Problem based learning

In problem-based learning, students face real-life situations or scenarios close to reality in order to develop skills and acquire specific knowledge that will enable them to solve, transfer and apply knowledge to address well-defined, complex and relevant problems in a logic of developing competences.

This approach allows students to be the protagonists of self-directed learning, which promotes the acquisition and production of knowledge. Active and meaningful learning is thus adopted, in which students become more involved in the learning process because they are more motivated.

Problem as a starting point

• Learning begins with the presentation of a complex and relevant problem that students must solve.

The teacher's role

• Create the conditions to involve students in learning, guiding and leading them through the content and sequence of learning, as well as developing competences.
• Encourage students to research, reflect and develop critical evaluation.
• Contribute to consolidating student autonomy through tutorial support geared towards mitigating gaps in prior knowledge and guiding the learning process.
• Provide feedback so that students understand their performance and make improvements over time.
• Promote co-operation between peers and ensure tutorial support.

Self-directed learning

• Integrating knowledge and practice in real contexts, encouraging students to actively seek out the knowledge needed to solve the problem.

Critical thinking

• Promoting the acquisition and development of skills by challenging students to think critically, analyse information, make decisions and justify their choices.

Collaboration

• Promoting collaboration and group work, generating an exchange of ideas, involvement, communication and the development of interpersonal skills in all members of the group.

Creativity

• Promoting creativity by encouraging innovative approaches and original solutions to the problems presented.

Contextualisation of knowledge

• Promoting a greater degree of involvement in activities (solving real problems and/or problems close to reality), directly related to a higher level of understanding.

Continuous assessment

• Reinforce continuous assessment by evaluating progress and competences rather than factual knowledge in isolation.

• Stimulates the development of transversal skills (decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity)
• Increases motivation for learning, since the content is related to the context (solving real or near-real problems)
• Increases the ability to understand and apply knowledge
• Promotes metacognition (reflection on one's own learning)
• Stimulates active learning as it encourages searching for information, solving problems and applying knowledge
• Promotes self-directed learning (student-centred learning)

Preparation stages

1. Definition of learning objectives
2. Selection and development of problems
3. Forming working groups
4. Guidance
5. Evaluation

Implementation stages

• Define the problem
• Identify concepts
• Analyse the problem
• Create hypotheses
• Identify knowledge gaps
• Apply new knowledge to the problem
• Evaluate whether the knowledge is adequate and whether the problem has been solved

Initially, the teacher should provide the students with information about the problem in question. Once the problem has been clearly defined, students should identify the concepts they need to learn about in order to solve the problem. When considering the problem, students are encouraged to research independently, creating hypotheses. Subsequently, they should reconsider hypotheses and/or create hypotheses (identify knowledge gaps).

On completing the task, students are encouraged to reflect on the problem (apply new knowledge to the problem) as well as on their learning performance, assessing whether their knowledge is adequate and whether the problem has been solved satisfactorily.

Problem-based learning involves research, discussion, understanding and knowledge acquisition (Hmelo & Barrows, 2006). These stages outline the path from the preparation phase, where objectives and resources are defined, to the implementation phase, where students are actively involved in their own learning as they engage in concrete problem solving (Hmelo-Silver & Eberbach, 2011).

Resources for teachers

• Problem-based Learning in less than five minutes (I promise)

• Almeida, L., Gonçalves, S., Rebola, F., & Soares, S. (2022). Inovação pedagógica no ensino superior cenários e caminhos de transformação.
• Barrows, H. S. (1986). A taxonomy of problem‐based learning methods. Medical education, 20(6), 481-486.
• Barrows, H. S. (1988). The tutorial process. Southern Illinois University, School of medicine.
• Barrows, H. S. (1996). Problem‐based learning in medicine and beyond: A brief overview. New directions for teaching and learning, 1996(68), 3-12.
• Biggs, John, & Tang, Catherine. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university. McGraw-hill education. Maidenhead, Reino Unido: Open University Press.
• Cohen, E. G. (1994). Restructuring the classroom: Conditions for productive small groups. Review of educational research, 64(1), 1-35.
• De Graaf, E., & Kolmos, A. (2003). Characteristics of problem-based learning. International journal of engineering education, 19(5), 657-662.
• Hmelo-Silver, C. E., & Barrows, H. S. (2006). Goals and strategies of a problem-based learning facilitator. Interdisciplinary journal of problem-based learning, 1(1), 4.
• Hmelo-Silver, C. E., & Eberbach, C. (2011). Learning theories and problem-based learning. In Problem-based learning in clinical education: The next generation (pp. 3-17). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-2515-7_1
• Kolmos, A., Kuru, S., Hansen, H., Eskil, T., Podesta, L., Fink, F., ... & Soylu, A. (2007). Problem Based Learnig. TREE – Teaching and Research in Engineering in Europe Special Interest Group B5 "Problem based and project oriented learning" SIG Leader: Selahattin Kuru, Isik University
• Trindade, R. (2014). A autoaprendizagem no ensino superior e a aprendizagem baseada na resolução de problemas: perspetivas e questões. Revista Lusófona de Educação, (27), 43-57.