Problem- Based Learning (PBL)

The Problem Based learning or PBL is widely used in higher education and K-12 settings. In this method the students will learn by solving real world scenarios and problems. Here the problems are open-ended and do not have one right answer.

The students will be divided into small groups and they will be provided with a messy real world problem. The students need to investigate the problem and find meaningful solutions which will then be agreed upon and implemented.

In the traditional approach, the teacher provides facts to the students and then recalls them by various methods such as memorization, tests etc. In this method the students apply their knowledge directly to the problems and the teacher will act as a facilitator and guide them through the learning process.

PBL develops critical thinking, improves problem-solving skills, and enhances the transfer of knowledge to new situations. The major drawback for PBL is that students may not know what is important for them if they don’t have any prior experience. Also for the teacher PBL can be very challenging to implement as it requires a lot of planning and hard work.