Challenges of Introducing Problem Based Learning (PBL) in Higher ...

ISSN 1392-3110 Socialiniai tyrimai / Social Research. 2012. Nr. 2 (27), 78–88

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Siauliai University, Vilniaus g. 88, LT-76285 Siauliai, Lithuania E-mail: [email protected] 2 Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio g. 58, LT-44248 Kauna, Lithuania E-mail: [email protected]

$QQRWDWLRQ The paper provides theoretical and empirical analysis of selecting tasks for problem-based learning (hereinafWHU3%/ 7KHVWXG\WDNHVDGHHSHULQVLJKWLQWRWKHDLPVRI different forms of presentation of problems and their study ¿QGLQJV&RPELQDWLRQRIYDULRXVUHVHDUFKPHWKRGVVXUvey aand interviews) reveals teacher and students’ experiHQFHVZLWK3%/LQUHVSHFWWRVHOHFWLRQDQGDSSOLFDWLRQRI problems. Challenges of using different kinds of problems DUH LGHQWL¿HG DQG DQDO\VHG 7KH PHWKRGRORJLFDO IUDPHwork of the research is based on the theory of social constructivism emphasizing active participation of learning VXEMHFWVLQNQRZOHGJHFUHDWLRQ4XDOLWDWLYHUHVHDFKLQWHUview with research participants) was conducted using an interpretative phenomenological approach. .H\ZRUGV SUREOHPEDVHG OHDUQLQJ 3%/  SUREOHPVW\SHVRISUREOHPV

...Before problem-based learning I felt as if I was standing by the sea and watching it, while during problembased learning I felt as if I stepped into the sea wetting my feet. There was still something lacking for full immersion into problem-based learning when you have a real case and participate in it as a real person – this was what I missed to be able to swim (student 0DQWDV1SDUWLFLSDQW of problem-based learning).

,QWURGXFWLRQ A traditional learning process where knowledge of a certain discipline is transmited by a knowledgeable teacher who opens the world to an ignorant student is related to a passive role of a learning subMHFW%ULQNPDQQDQG7DQJJDDUG QDPHWKHWKHRU\H[SODLQLQJVXFKFRJQLWLRQDV³HSLVWHPRORJ\RIWKH eye´7KHWKHRU\LVEDVHGRQWKHLGHDWKDWNQRZOHGJH is representation of the world. Taking over the expertise accumulated by former generations is recognized as the main aim of the learning process where the stuGHQWLVH[SHFWHGWRKDYHWKHREVHUYDQWH\H-RKQ'HZey (2009) makes an attempt to challenge the position 1

Names of all research participants were changed following the SULQFLSOHRIFRQ¿GHQWLDOLW\



of a learning subject as of a passive spectator. Dewey as the pioneer of pragmatism in education views experiencing and learning about the world as the funcWLRQV RI RXU DFWLRQV EHKDYLRXU WRZDUGV WKH ZRUOG and its problem situations. Things are objects acted with and used rather than just things to be seen and NQRZQ -RKQ 'HZH\   DUJXHV WKDW KXPDQ DFtivity manifests itself best through experiments when we cognize things in the context of usage and discover their qualities only through active manipulation. Constructivists also support the position that knowledge does not exist in anticipation of being discovHUHG EXW UDWKHU LV FRQVWUXFWHG E\ D KXPDQ¶V DFWLRQ LQWKHSURFHVVRIKLVLQWHUDFWLRQZLWKWKHZRUOG*RUGRQ   3roblem-based learning KHUHLQDIWHU 3%/ is characterised by an active role of a learning subject as opposed to traditional learning explained by the ³HSLVWHPRORJ\ RI WKH hand´ %ULQNPDQQ DQG 7DQJJDDUG 7KLVLPSOLHVWKDWLGHDVDUHQRWUHÀHFtions or copies of the world but tools we use to create and recreate the world. The metaphors of the eye and hand used to denominate different frameworks of cognition bring the theory closer to practical applicability. The learning process is modelled to make sure that students do not feel as passive spectators but understand that the study process provides them with tools to create a new reality by taking an acWLYHSDUWLQWKHZRUOGE\WKHPVHOYHV3%/LVRQHRI the strategies that allows students to shift from being passive spectators to the mode of active players. Students are trained to take part in the process of cognition from the beginning to the very end. They are able WRLGHQWLI\DFWXDOSUREOHPVRIWKHUHDOZRUOGLQWHUDFW ZLWKHDFKRWKHUXVHLQIRUPDWLRQIURPYDULRXVVRXUFHVPDNHWKHLURZQGHFLVLRQDQGDVVHVVLW 3%/ LV D ÀH[LEOH VWUDWHJ\ %\ DQDO\VLQJ ERWK WKHRUHWLFSUHPLVHVRI3%/DQGHPSLULFDOGDWDYDULRXV DFWRUV SURYLGH WKH SLFWXUH RI DFWXDO 3%/ YDULDtions and allow making a premise about options for application of such kind of learning in new contexts. The opening quote of the paper presents the WKRXJKW E\ RQH RI WKH VWXGHQWV ZKR WULHG 3%/ +LV

thoughts have provided guidance to the current and SRWHQWLDOVLWXDWLRQRI3%/7KHPHWDSKRURIWKHeye is complemented by the metaphor of watching the seaDVLIWKHVWXGHQWVWDQGVVDIHO\RQWKHVKRUHDQG watches distant silhouettes and outlines shown by the WHDFKHU3%/KDVXSJUDGHGWUDGLWLRQDOVWXGLHVZKHUH students often tend to feel as passive spectators and has allowed students to be more active by analysing UHDO FDVHV LQ WKH FODVVURRP 1RQHWKHOHVV VWXGHQWV¶ ultimate emancipation and becoming active learning subjects is what yet to be achieved by modern studLHVLQFOXGLQJ3%/ %\SUHVHQWLQJDQDO\VLVRIVFLHQWL¿FDQGPHWKRGRORJLFDOOLWHUDWXUHDQGLQWHUSUHWLQJWKH¿QGLQJVRI HPSLULFDOVWXG\WKHSDSHUSULPDULO\IRFXVHVRQVHOHFWLRQRISUREOHPVDVRQHRIWKHDVSHFWVRI3%/7KH SURFHVVRI3%/GHSHQGVRQWKHQDWXUHRISUREOHPVWR be solved by students. A problem is an important factor that determines the way the learning process is to GHYHORSDQGWKH¿QGLQJVWKDWPD\EHH[SHFWHGIURP WKHSURFHVV7KHUHIRUHSDUWLFXODUDWWHQWLRQVKRXOGEH paid to formulation of problems not only on the level of theoretical recommendation but also on the level of empirical data. $XWKRUV DQDO\VLQJ 3%/ $]HU  :HEHU  6DYLQ%DGHQ 0DMRU  'XFK  %DUURZV  0DåHLNLHQơ /HQNDXVNDLWơ  âYHLNDXVNDV .LULNRYD  HWF  JLYH TXLWH D ORW RI FRQVLGHUDWLRQ WR VHOHFWLRQ RI SUREOHPV EXW WKHUH is still too little research analysing strong and weak DVSHFWVRISUREOHPVHOHFWLRQUHYLHZLQJDYDULHW\RI SUREOHPVVWXGHQWV¶RSLQLRQVDERXWWDVNVIRUPXODWHG LQ3%/DQGWKHLULPSRUWDQFHIRUWKHSURFHVVRIOHDUQLQJDQG¿QGLQJV The paper presents the study that analyses university teachers and students’ experience applyLQJ3%/LQ/LWKXDQLD7KHUHVHDUFKTXHVWLRQLV+RZ GRHV WKH SUREOHP IRUPXODWHG GXULQJ 3%/ LQÀXHQFH VWXGHQWV¶ OHDUQLQJ SURFHVV DQG ¿QGLQJV" 7KH DQDO\VHG WRSLF LV UHOHYDQW DV 3%/ LV QHZ WR VRFLDO VFLences in Lithuania and good practice of its applicaWLRQPD\SURPRWHGHYHORSPHQWRI3%/DQDO\VLVDQG GHDOLQJZLWKDULVLQJGLI¿FXOWLHV 5HVHDUFKREMHFW±VHOHFWLRQRIDSUREOHPDQG LWVDSSOLFDWLRQLQ3%/ 5HVHDUFK DLP ± WR GHWHUPLQH VWXGHQWV DQG teachers’ experiences in selecting problems during 3%/ Applied UHVHDUFK PHWKRGV review of literaWXUHRQ3%/DQDO\VLVRIGDWDDFTXLUHGE\TXHVWLRQQDLUHVXUYH\RIVWXGHQWVZKRWULHG3%/GHVFULSWLYH VWDWLVWLFV  FRQWHQW DQDO\VLV RI LQWHUYLHZV ZLWK VWXGHQWVDQGWHDFKHUVFRQWHQWDQDO\VLVRIPDWHULDOSUHpared by teachers for students and course descripWLRQVXSJUDGHGIRU3%/



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-RQDVVHQ DFFRUGLQJWR:DONHU /HDU\ 2009) has performed in-depth analysis of the structural characteristics of problems. He argues that analysed problems may be very different by structure. There may be structured problems focusing on an DFFXUDWH DQG HI¿FLHQW ZD\ RI DQ RSWLPXP VROXWLRQ where the context performs a peripheral function. +RZHYHUWKHUHDOVRPD\EHQRQVWUXFWXUHGSUREOHPV where the context is a deciding factor; solutions may be absent; the process of thinking is what matters rather than the fact of solving the problem. The structure and level of reality of problems are among the most important aspects emphasized by PRVW WKHRUHWLWLDQV DQG SUDFWLWLRQHUV RI 3%/ 9DULDWLRQV RI WKHVH IDFWRUV DUH FRQVLGHUDEOH EXW LQ RUGHU HIIHFWLYHO\LPSOHPHQW3%/LWLVQRWHGWKDWDQDO\VHG problems must be as close to reality as possible and VXI¿FLHQWO\FRPSOH[DQGQRQVWUXFWXUHG The provision of real-life non-structured problems is closely related to another feature of probOHPV±VXFKSUREOHPVRSHQWKHSRVVLELOLW\IRUWU\LQJ activities performed by specialists of the studied disFLSOLQH$]HU ,WPD\EHGLI¿FXOWIRUVWXGHQWV to act in real life as they lack experience and knowlHGJH DQG IDFH DQRWKHU FKDOOHQJH ± LQWHUGLVFLSOLQDULW\ 6R UHDOOLIH QRQVWUXFWXUHG SUREOHP VLWXDWLRQV enable students perform analysis not only within the OLPLWVRIWKHVWXGLHGVXEMHFWEXWDOVRLQWHJUDWHNQRZOedge of other subjects. Problems may also vary sigQL¿FDQWO\LQWHUPVRILQWHUGLVFLSOLQDULW\7KH\PD\EH intended for organization of the study process of part RIWKHVXEMHFWWKHZKROHVXEMHFWVHYHUDOVXEMHFWVRU the whole study programme. $QRWKHU FKDUDFWHULVWLF IHDWXUH RI 3%/ LV LPportance of problem-based tasks for learners as inGLYLGXDOV,WLVYHU\RIWHQHPSKDVL]HGWKDW3%/SURvides great opportunities for a person to develop as a specialist while it does not compromise other important spheres of the person’s living world as well. 3%/ requires that students put tremendous efforts only in FDVHRIKLJKPRWLYDWLRQIRUOHDUQLQJ8QGHUVWDQGLQJ that problem-based tasks are close and important for the student as an individual may be one of the factors ensuring that the student is motivated enough to engage in this sophisticated method of learning. It PXVW EH XQGHUVWRRG WKDW QRW RQO\ LQWHOOHFW EXW DOVR WKHHQWLUHKXPDQKLVHQWLUHSHUVRQDOLW\DUHHQJDJHG LQ OHDUQLQJ 6DYLQ%DGHQ   3%/ PD\ EHFRPH the medium emphasizing the importance of the learner as an individual whose expertise is usually marginalized in traditional studies. $V YDULRXV HGXFDWLRQDO LQQRYDWLRQV HPHUJH they usually intertwine and blend into new learning strategies. Theoretical problem models usually acTXLUH WKHLU XQLTXH IHDWXUHV LQ SUDFWLFH DGDSW WR WKH



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