What is Problem-Based Learning?

Abstract

Employers today are demanding communication, team, and problem-solving skills. Few of these skills are evident in the classroom, as students memorise facts for regurgitation. According to Vernon and Blake (1993), problem-based learning is more than a teaching method. It is a complex mixture of general teaching philosophy, learning objectives, and goals. PBL is an instructional approach that uses problems as a context for students to acquire problem-solving skills and knowledge. This chapter describes the shift from traditional teaching methods to PBL. It discusses the characteristics of PBL and explains how it differs from other approaches, such as case-based, project-based, and lecture-based approaches.