Problem-Based Learning

Written By Colēgia

Not every problem has a clear-cut solution to it. Outside of school, we see this happen in a lot of situations and we usually have to use our best judgment to solve things. Sometimes though it can feel difficult and we might need to re-frame how we look at things. One approach is to use problem-based learning which can make things easier.

What is it?

“Problem-based learning is a student-centered approach in which students learn about a subject by working in groups to solve an open-ended problem.” The important part about this is that the problem itself serves as the driving motivation behind this type of learning. The biggest difference between this is that the problem is presented before the material. The benefit of this is that students are incentivized to work together to try and solve the problem since they need other perspectives to work through it. Since students will work in groups they'll be building team skills in the process which directly correlates to real-world experiences. Students will also need to work independently as well to use their own skill set to contribute to the group.

“the problem itself serves as the driving motivation behind this type of learning.”

Why it Works

This approach to learning is fantastic since it shifts the paradigm to help students be more self-sufficient with their learning while also learning collaboration. Research is an important part of solving problems since it allows us to use other's prior experiences so we can form a framework to work around. Similar to the scientific method of testing and repeating a hypothesis, the same type of critical thinking skills apply to this type of learning. It can also teach students how to best express the ideas they come up with since they'll need to present them to the group. The best reason this type of learning works is that it best represents how to solve real-world problems. With the self-awareness that problem-based learning requires, it serves as a great means of seeing what our minds are capable of coming up with when presented with a challenge.

“The best reason this type of learning works is that it best represents how to solve real-world problems.”

How to Use it Outside of The Classroom

Applying this outside of the classroom is necessary if we want to work on new problems we encounter. Research is one such way to help with this since in a lot of cases the answer is already available. Sometimes it’s also worth asking for help to see how someone else has handled a similar situation. Other times we'll need to outline what some routes we can take to solve something are. A flowchart for example can show us potential outcomes which may work better for us. Writing down our thoughts and how we feel about a problem is valid too since it can give us a sense of clarity so we can see things from a different lens. Problem-solving is an essential skill since it can train us to work through different obstacles with ease.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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