1. PBL course for international students1
Session 1, September 3, 2014
Lise Busk Kofoed, Professor.
Architecture, Design and Media Technology

2. PBL Introduction at a glance
Session Plan:
Session 1 – The Aalborg model
Session 2 – Learning and collaboration
Session 3 – Project management and documentation

3. © SLP-gruppen, Aalborg Universitet
Why PBL?
PBL frame work
PBL principles
PBL myths
The project
Preparing for the next session
© SLP-gruppen, Aalborg Universitet

4. The framework - AAU structure
Faculties – Departments - Educations
Schools
Study boards
Students

5. Structure N Number of Study Boards Aalborg University
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Engineering and Science
School of Information and Communication Technology
School of Architecture, Design and Planning
School of Engineering and Science
Faculty of Humanities
Faculty of Social Science
! Denne slide tilrettes. De rigtige studienævn tilføjes i nederste række.
Number of Study Boards N

6. Study secretaries and study board … what can they help you with?
Study secretaries Information about practical issues Timetables and classrooms Issues regarding examination Study board Applications for dispensation Complaints

7. The student guidance … what can we help you with?
Study related issues Personal issues Practical issues Our door is always open! (In office hours!)

8. Project Based Learning (Project Organized Learning)
What is PBL?
PBL = Problem Based Learning
In the Aalborg PBL Model:
PBL =
Problem Based and
Project Based Learning
(Project Organized Learning)

9. Question
Discuss with the person next to you: Which will be the biggest challenges using in PBL?

10. (Ingeniøren, 2004)

11. Are there one or more institutions which you find particular good at developing engineering education according to the needs of society and companies? (N=187, Ingeniøren, 2004)

12. Why PBL: Efficient and rewarding

13. AAU PBL principles Learning Problem based Contextual learning
Project based/ organised
Activity/ experience based learning
Social
Participant directed
Team based learning
Content
Theory-practice relation
Interdisciplinary learning
Exemplary learning
Meta-learning
Billeder:
&

14. What is special about PBL at AAU?
The learninh/project space
The type of problems
The lenght of the project period
The attention towards the
learning process
Strong group committment
Group based assessment

15. The Aalborg Model 50% courses Course 5 ECTS Course 5 ECTS Course
One semester
Project
15 ECTS
50% project
1 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) = 30 working hours

16. Structure of a semester
Semester: 50 % courses (normally three courses, each 5 ECTS) 50 % project (15 ECTS) Expected work: 1 ETCS = 30 hours 450 hours on project 450 hours on courses (150 hours on each course)

17. The structure of a project
Supervisor Group work Literature searching Lab work Report

18. I.e. – not necessarily a ”problem”
What is a problem?
Unsatisfactory situation (minus)
- Eg. oxygen depletion in water bodies, noise from wind turbines, newborn babies with too low weight
An opportunity for improvement (plus)
Eg. Robot vacuum cleaner, more effective pesticides, route optimazation
Consequences unknown (unknown)
Eg. effect of airborne nano - particles , radiation from cell phones , how determined the maximum flow in a given network
I.e. – not necessarily a ”problem”
Billeder: videnskab.dk

19. Difference subject and problem based
Subject based question
Problem based question
What is a robot vacuum cleaner?
What is graph theory?
Characteristics
No context
Theory/literature
Gain knowledge (eg. for PBL)
What is the affect for elderly people when they get a robot vacuum cleaner?
How can we optimize the route a food company uses to distribute fresh shell eggs to many customers?
Characteristics
In context
Theory/literature when analyzing the problem
Apply knowledge
Billeder: mattebloggen.com & samvirke.dk

20. Problem Orientation What is a problem? An Unsatisfactory Situation
Unknown Impacts
Of new (and old) chemicals, materials, products and technologies
Politics
The population/people
An Unsatisfactory Situation
E.g. The build-up of greenhouse gases (GHGs) threatens to set the Earth on the path to a unpredictably different climate. (UNEP, 2009)
An Un-Utilized Potential
E.g. energy efficient buildings

21. Subject, Problem Area, Problem Formulation
Subject area, Theme – Highest level of generalization. Not a problem´, but objects and fields of interest.
Subject Area, Theme
Problem Area
Problem area - Theoretical and empirical relations that make something a problem.
Problem/
Problem
Formulation
Problem -The object of study for your project
Problem Formulation – A short and precise formulation of the problem.
Kaare Pedersen, 2003

22. The Subject Area 2. Conceptualisations 1. Relevance 3. Stakeholders
KNOWLEDGE NEEDED
2. Conceptualisations
1. Relevance
5. State of the art
4. Sites; Systems
3. Stakeholders
6. Problems to be addressed
SUBJECT AREA

23. The problem area
What
Why
When
Where
Who
How
PROBLEM

24. Bottom up analysis Who What Where When Why How
Who is causing the problem?
Who says this is a problem?
Who are impacted by this problem?
Etc.
What will happen if this problem is not solved?
What are the symptoms?
What are the impacts?
Etc.
Where does this problem occur?
Where does this problem have an impact?
Etc.
When
Why
How
When does this problem occur?
When did this problem first start occurring?
Etc.
Why is this problem occurring?
Why?
Etc.
How should the process or system work?
How are people currently handling the problem?
Etc.

25. Myths of PBL
Picture: &

26. In a PBL environment there is a lot of free-riders
Picture from:
fineartamerica.com

27. The PBL process is aligned with professional practice
Picture from: padtmedical.com

28. In a PBL environment you always have to reach consensus with others
Picture from: rightattitudes.com

29. It is easier to study in a PBL environment
Picture from: darrenhardy.success.com

30. In a PBL environment – the teacher will not tell you what to do

31. When you are educated in a PBL environment you are better to think outside-the-box – be creative
Picture from: photo.net

32. In a PBL environment you are getting very good at many things – but not that good at something in specific
Picture from: blog.thestoragearchitect.com

33. PBL- learning principles
Problem based
Contextual learning
Project based / organised
Activity/experience based learning
Social
Participant directed
Team based learning
Content
Theory-practice relation
Interdisciplinary learning
Exemplary learning
Meta-learning/ Double loop learning

34. What is so specific about The Aalborg model:
The group rooms
The type of problems
The length of the project
period
The attention towards the
learning process
Group based assessment
- and a strong group commitment
Picture: implicit-thoughts-explicit.blogspot.com

35. What is so specific about The Aalborg model:
Projects
Group work
Supervisor
Students are responsible for own learning
Picture: implicit-thoughts-explicit.blogspot.com

36. Overcoming challenges of collaborate learning
Hopes
What are your hopes for the project outcome and for your cooperation with the members of your group? Eg. what would make you satisfied and thrive during the project time.
Fears
What are your fears for the project and the working process? Eg. based on earlier “bad experiences”.
Expectations What do you expect as good conduct from you and your fellow students? Eg. related to communication, self-direction, involvement,…

37. See you next Wednesday Questions lk@create.aau.dk