1. Teaching the communication using problem-based learning
Problem-based learning method: a way to improve the communication between health care staff in paediatrics.
Project Number: RO01-KA

2. WHAT IS PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING?
Dealing with a problem makes learning and partecipation more active.
Students are asked to solve a problem, chosen by the aim of the teacher. The problem has a directs link with the competences the students have to achieve.
Problem-based learning has the aim to motive the students in order to commit themselves to discover and create solutions to the problem.

3. defining characteristics of PBL
Learning is driven by challenging, open-ended problems with no one “right” answer
Problems/cases are context-specific: student will talk about communication with other health care staff
Students work as self-directed, active investigators and problem-solvers in small collaborative groups
A key problem is identified and a solution is agreed upon and implemented
Teachers adopt the role as facilitators of learning, guiding the learning process and promoting an environment of inquiry

4. TEACHING WITH PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
The main stress of this approach is to have an inter-disciplinary integrated development of deliverables, in order to improve the overall competency and skills of the students.

5. BEFORE STARTING: BUILDING THE PROBLEM
Students will be motivated if the problem is a part of their professional experience. The problem has to be built in order to be interesting for the students: it must be a part of their expertise.
Teachers might build a problem wich is not too easy and not too difficult as well. Teachers will focus on the argument that he want the students to talk about: communication within the staff.
This is why it is important to know which are the students’ competences related to communication with other health care staff.

6. PRESENTATION OF THE PROBLEM
The aim and the effectiveness of this teaching technique must be declared to the partecipants
Teacher presents the problem to a group of 6-8 students. Here comes the role definition: within the students, two of them will be the moderator and the secretary of the group.
SECRETARY: summarizes the collected information on a board
MODERATOR: asks the partecipants to give their opinion in order to involve all the students

7. OPENING PHASE Reading the case study and the problem (4 minutes)
STEP 1: defining and clarifying unclear terms
STEP 2: brainstorming – define the problem and its consequences, also relating to the health care ouctomes
STEP 3: dividing the questions in uniform areas
STEP 4: searching for explanation hypothesis
STEP 5: defining studying objectives

8. INDIVIDUAL DETAILED STUDY
STEP 6: after the definition of studying objectives, students will search for further information individually. They may have 24 – 48 hours in order to make researches on their own.
This kind of research do not provide for teachers’ help or advice.

9. CLOSING PHASE
STEP 7: summarizing and assessing the collected information
STEP 8: formulating research questions
STEP 9: assessing individual study
STEP 10: assessing the results of the group work

10. REFERENCES
learning.cfm