LeAP Summer Workshop ENGAGING WITH PBL

LeAP Summer Workshop Engaging with PBL

Day 1 Morning: PBL activity (groups); Evaluation - characteristics of PBL (plenary feedback) Afternoon: Problem writing (lecture 1 hour followed by group activity) Day 2 Morning: Delegate presentations; Assessing PBL (presentation, 30 mins, discussion) Afternoon: Delegate presentations Problem development (groups) and consultancy (individual); PBL facilitation (presentation and discussion); Evaluating PBL & Delegate presentations Day 3 Morning: Selected delegate problems tried out and discussed Afternoon: Q&A: Engaging with PBL Summary and feedback

You will be given a selection of materials and the feedback from a PBL course Your task is to analyse the material

Watch the presentation Individually write down a sentence describing your initial understanding of the problem Locate the problem as a group Exchange your Existing Knowledge in relation to the problem; attempt the problem Identify Issues for further research

What is the problem? What are the issues? What more research do you need to carry out?

Why ask for individual reflection? Why agree the problem? Why list existing knowledge? Why list issues? learning issues The concept of learning issues is central to PBL. It encourages students to think for themselves about what they know and what they don’t know about an issue.

Planning PhaseWhat is the problem? What do we know? Investigation PhaseWhat do we need to find out? Who and what? Analysis PhaseHave we solved the problem fully? (Repeat as necessary) AssessmentReport EvaluationGroup roles

Problem 2: How do we get (a) students and (b) staff to engage with PBL?

What is engagemnt? What is PBL? What are we trying to achieve? What are the obstacles? Planning Problem writing Facilitation Group formation Assessment Evaluation; student engagement

What enhances the student experience? – A sense of community – Staff-student interaction – Trained teachers – Time on Task – Collaborative learning – Small class size Graham Gibbs Dimensions of Quality HEA 2010

What is PBL? Definitions!

PBL (problem-based learning) is a student-centred method of teaching in which students learn by investigating real- world problems and, working in groups, seek out the tools necessary to solve them.

Problem-based learning Enquiry-based learning Case-based learning Project-based learning Research-based learning

Definition: Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning, University of Manchester “EBL describes an environment in which learning is driven by a process of enquiry owned by the student. Starting with a “scenario” and with the guidance of a facilitator, students identify their own issues and questions. They then examine the resources they need to research the topic, thereby acquiring the requisite knowledge. Knowledge so gained is more readily retained because it has been acquired by experience and relation to a real problem.” EBL includes the following activities: Problem based learning Small scale investigations Projects and research

“Inquiry is a form of Self-Directed Learning and follows the four basic stages defining self-directed learning. Students take more responsibility for: Definition: McMaster University, Ontario, Canada (1/2) Determining what they need to learn Identifying resources and how best to learn from them Using resources and reporting their learning Assessing their progress in learning”

“Teaching through “inquiry” involves engaging students in the research process with instructor support and coaching at a level appropriate to their starting skills. Students learn discipline specific content but in doing so, engage and refine their inquiry skills. An inquiry course: Is question driven, rather than topic or thesis driven Begins with a general theme to act as a starting point or trigger for learning Emphasizes asking good researchable questions on the theme, and coaches students in doing this Builds library, interview, and web search skills, along with the critical thinking skills necessary for thoughtful review of the information. Coaches students on how to best report their learning in oral or written form Provides some mechanism (interviews, drafts, minutes of groups meetings, benchmark activities, etc) to help students monitor their progress within the course. Draws on the expertise and knowledge of the instructor to model effective inquiry and to promote reflection.” Definition: McMaster University, Ontario, Canada (2/2)

What are we trying to achieve?

Engagement Students work together Students choose which areas to explore, and which questions to answer Students are active in the learning process Focus Away from the tutor – facilitator role Towards the subject Towards the learning process Alignment…

The average normalized gains for problem-based honours courses at the University of Delaware in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 were between 0.45 and Those 's may be compared with the average /-0.14 of 's for forty-eight "interactive engagement" courses in a survey of mechanics test data for six thousand students in introductory physics courses [Hake (1998a)] ‘nobody wants to like it, but it actually does work’ it ‘almost felt like you were doing research’ ‘Absolutely love it…’

Subject knowledge and skills + Academic physicists Professional physicist Prior knowledge and goals + Structured and focussed Student oriented Assessment + End-point Relevant CommunityCoherent

Planning an engaging problem

Who is it for? Students (number and level) What are the objectives? Process Content What is the course? Sequencing of course/problems Time/structure of class

Who is the problem writer? Discipline Control issues Level of investment How assessed? Presentation, report, group/individual…? How evaluated?

Day 1 Morning: PBL activity (groups); Evaluation - characteristics of PBL (plenary feedback) Afternoon: Problem writing (lecture 1 hour followed by group activity) Day 2 Morning: Delegate presentations; Assessing PBL (presentation, 30 mins, discussion) Afternoon: Problem development (groups) and consultancy (individual); PBL facilitation (presentation and discussion); Evaluating PBL & Delegate presentations Day 3 Morning: Selected delegate problems tried out and discussed Afternoon: Q&A: Engaging with PBL Summary and feedback

PBL Problem Writing

Relate to real world, motivate students Require decision-making or judgments Are multi-page, multi-stage Are designed for group-solving Pose open-ended initial questions that encourage discussion Incorporate course content objectives, higher order thinking

Feasibility Students can plan a way to investigate the question The question is appropriate for the students Worth The question is relevant to what people (including scholars in the discipline) really do The question helps students to link major concepts The question is complex enough to be broken down into smaller questions The question leads to further questions (Modified from Krajcik, Czerniak, & Berger, Teaching Science in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms)

Contextualization The question is anchored in real world issues and has real world consequences. Meaning The question is interesting and important to learners. The question intersects with learners’ lives, reality, and culture. Sustainability The question allows students to pursue solutions over time Students can pursue answers to the question in great detail.

Content-oriented: subject specific Basic knowledge and understanding of specific concepts, techniques, etc. in the discipline Process-oriented: global skills Effective communication: oral and written Acquiring and evaluating information Working effectively with others Higher order, critical thinking

1) Your current exercises 2) External sources Newspaper articles, news events Popular press in the discipline Make up a story – based on content objectives Adapt a case to a problem Research papers Other?

Identify the course You can think of the subject, level of students, size of class, how you would use it. List the learning objectives that would be met by this problem

Think of a scenario Sketch out the first section

What comes next? Write a brief synopsis of the problem, emphasizing its possible staging Be prepared to report out.

Engaging Facilitation

What makes a good facilitator?

1) Interactions within groups 2) Interaction with facilitators and staff 3) Balance between group and individual work 4) Interaction between groups

Induction Planning Phase Investigation Phase Analysis Phase Assessment Group Roles/Rules Group Action Plan Peer Tutoring

Induction Planning Phase Investigation Phase Analysis Phase Assessment Facilitator Subject Expert Audience

G & I Learning Outcomes Individual G & I Deliverables Induction Planning Phase Investigation Phase Analysis Phase Assessment

Induction Planning Phase Investigation Phase Analysis Phase Assessment Assessment Design

Day 1 Morning: PBL activity (groups); Evaluation - characteristics of PBL (plenary feedback) Afternoon: Problem writing (lecture 1 hour followed by group activity) Day 2 Morning: Delegate presentations; Assessing PBL (presentation, 30 mins, discussion) Afternoon: Problem development (groups) and consultancy (individual); PBL facilitation (presentation and discussion); Evaluating PBL & Delegate presentations Day 3 Morning: Selected delegate problems tried out and discussed Afternoon: Q&A: Engaging with PBL Summary and feedback

Group formation Engaging students

Assigned or free-formed? Random or structured? Rotation rate?

Authentic Assessment Engaging skills

Restricted access (selection/winner takes all) Competence or mastery of content Competence or mastery of process Potential (The Apprentice) Group process

Expert witness Pitch Podcast Poster Report to …. Conference presentation

Telescope project Water pipes in the desert There is too much data or too many experiments for each group to carry out the whole project alone. Presentations and reports are required to exchange information.

Pitfalls: Over-assessment Staff time Free-loaders Identifying contributions Solution: Group work as culture (co-operative learning) not method Pedagogies of engagement: Classroom-Based Practices, Smith et al J Eng Educ Jan 2005

Day 1 Morning: PBL activity (groups); Evaluation - characteristics of PBL (plenary feedback) Afternoon: Problem writing (lecture 1 hour followed by group activity) Day 2 Morning: Delegate presentations; Assessing PBL (presentation, 30 mins, discussion) Afternoon: Problem development (groups) and consultancy (individual); PBL facilitation (presentation and discussion); Evaluating PBL & Delegate presentations Day 3 Morning: Selected delegate problems tried out and discussed Afternoon: Q&A: Engaging with PBL Summary and feedback

Evaluation Were we engaged?

Course data Concept testing Questionnaires Focus groups Observation

Day 1 Morning: PBL activity (groups); Evaluation - characteristics of PBL (plenary feedback) Afternoon: Problem writing (lecture 1 hour followed by group activity) Day 2 Morning: Delegate presentations; Assessing PBL (presentation, 30 mins, discussion) Afternoon: Problem development (groups) and consultancy (individual); PBL facilitation (presentation and discussion); Evaluating PBL & Delegate presentations Day 3 Morning: Selected delegate problems tried out and discussed Afternoon: Q&A: Engaging with PBL Summary and feedback

Day 1 Morning: PBL activity (groups); Evaluation - characteristics of PBL (plenary feedback) Afternoon: Problem writing (lecture 1 hour followed by group activity) Day 2 Morning: Delegate presentations; Assessing PBL (presentation, 30 mins, discussion) Afternoon: Problem development (groups) and consultancy (individual); PBL facilitation (presentation and discussion); Evaluating PBL & Delegate presentations Day 3 Morning: Selected delegate problems tried out and discussed Afternoon: Q&A: Engaging with PBL Summary and feedback

Engaging with PBL