PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ENGINEERING: HOW TO MAKE IT WORK

1. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ENGINEERING: HOW TO MAKE IT WORK Erik de Graaff Delft University of Technology, Aalborg University UNESCO Chair in Problem Based Learning

2. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING IN ENGINEERING: HOW TO MAKE IT WORK • The origin of PBL • PBL in Medicine McMaster – Maastricht • Paradigm shift: from teaching to facilitation • PBL in Engineering The Aalborg model • Management of Change

3. Assignment Each person has to come up with one advantage of PBL Share the ideas in groups of 3-5 persons Choose a top 3

4. In the beginning Linkoping 72 Roskilde 72 and Aalborg University 74 Maastricht 72 McMaster, 68 Newcastle 76 • Problems constitute the stimulus for learning • Working on real life problems promotes the development of problem solving skills • Self directed small student groups • Teachers are facilitators/guides • Problem orientation • Interdisciplinarity • Exemplary learning • Participant directed • Teams or group work

5. The early history of PBL • Don Woods coins the words PBL for his teaching in a chemistry class in McMaster’s university by the end of the sixties. • PBL chosen as the didactic method for the development of a new medical curriculum at McMaster’s university (1969). • Introduction of PBL in Maastricht, also for the development of a new medical curriculum. • Implementation of POBL in Engineering Education in Roskilde and Aalborg in Denmark

6. Different versions of PBL Problem Based Learning Based Learning Organized Learning Practice Oriented Learning P B L Phenomenon Project

7. Problem based learning (PBL) PBL builds on pedagogic traditions like: Maria Montessori: my playing is my learning Jerôme Bruner: learning by discovery William Killpatrick: whole hearted learning Carl Rogers:student centered learning The Harvard method: case based learning

8. PBL Global Network

9. Problem based • Project based / organised • Contextual learning

10. Participant directed • Team based learning

11. Theory-practice • Interdisciplinary learning • Exemplary learning

12. Characteristics of PBL Thematic curriculum structure • Integration of knowledge and skills • Integration of different domains • Focus on the learning process • Cooperative learning in small groups • Students responsible for their own learning

13. PBL entails: A paradigm shift From teaching to learning From learning content to study activities

14. Paradigm shift in educational design: form follows function Educational form • Active participation in cooperating groups, dealing with insecurity and learning to take responsibility • Working on practice oriented projects and analyzing theoretically oriented problems • Critical reflection on performance Educational functions • Insight in the relationship between technology and society • The development of a scientific attitude of critical reflection • The development of a sense responsibility and an independent personality • Acquisition of professional knowledge and skills

15. Rationale for PBP:Bales’ pyramid of learning

17. The central role of learning objectives The price of knowledge

18. A Curriculum based on thematic modules The Maastricht perspective PBL Modules: • lasting six weeks • containing just some cases • integrating knowledge form different disciplines Tutorial Groups • self-directed learning • Eight students in a group • cooperation and teamwork Facilitated by a tutor: • guiding the process without taking the lead • guarding quality without interfering in the process

19. Teacher roles in a PBL curriculum De Graaff & Frijns, 1993 The teacher as: • Expert • Facilitator • Designing a stimulating environment for learning • Management of the learning process, including evaluation • Stimulates students to define their own learning goals and to direct their own learning process

20. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? • A Difficulty • Something complicated • A Puzzle, a Riddle • A Challenge • An Assignment In Engineering: A project

21. Video: Pitfalls of tutoring

22. PBL in Engineering: the Aalborg Model Students learn from working on real life problems as a team of engineers: • Problem Based • Project Organized • Cooperation in small groups

23. Dimensions of the Educational Process situation teacher focus problem workplace professional student product lbd lbd lbd lbd lbd input throughput output frontal frontal frontal frontal frontal competence teacher didactic classroom discipine

24. Dimensions of the Educational Process PBL POL POL POL PBL POL situation teacher focus POL problem workplace professional student product input throughput output PBL PBL PBL competence teacher didactic classroom discipine

25. Differences between Projects and PBL Projects PBL Type of problem Time per problem Number of students Role of the teachers Expected results Assessment a real life task broad range small groups (4-8) expert a finished product product and process phenomenon about one week small groups (6-12) process facilitator learning results individual test of learning results

26. Results of a Survey among employers of engineering graduates (Ingeniøren, 2008)Questions: Are there one or more institutions which you find particular good at developing engineering education according to the needs of society and companies?

27. Overall assessment of Danish Engineering Institutions by companies (Ingeniøren, 2008)

30. Duration rates for Danish universities, 2007, Official statistiscs

31. The tripod of successful innovation A question of balance Educational Philosophy PBL Vision on teaching and learning Vision on Man and Society Vision on the profession

32. Managing change: Strategies for implementing PBL Chin and Benne (1985) distinguish three types of strategies that can be applied in changing an organization: • Empirical-rational strategies • Normative-re-educative strategies • Power-coercive strategies

33. Research support for PBL 40

35. Factors in Managing Complex Change consensus skills incentives resources action plan confusion + + + + = vision skills incentives resources action plan sabotage + + + + = vision consensus incentives resources action plan anxiety + + + + = vision consensus skills resources action plan resistance + + + + = vision consensus skills incentives action plan frustration + + + + = vision consensus skills incentives resources pointless + + + + = vision consensus skills incentives resources action plan change + + + + + = after: Thousand &Villa 1995

36. Key Features in the Success of PBL • Students responsible for their own learning process • A clear purpose of all learning activities • Sufficient attention for Communication Skills • Balanced support from Technical experts to overcome knowledge barriers

37. Assignment • Each person has to come up with one advantage of PBL • Share the ideas in groups of 3-5 persons • Choose a top 3 What is the difference ?

38. ? Can I get an ice cream? Any Questions ? When is Mama coming back? Are we going to the zoo ?

39. 39e SEFI Annual Conference 2011, Lisbon, 28-30 September, 2011, Lisbon, Portugal REEN 2011 Madrid Oct. 3-6