The Purpose of this Site

Problem-based Learning (PBL) has become popular because of its apparent benefits to student learning. Students engage in authentic experiences which require them to have and access all three forms of knowledge. PBL's are inherently social and collaborative in methodology and teach students essential "soft skills" as well as domain specific content and skills.

Through PBL, students learn:

Problem-solving skills
Self-directed learning skills
Ability to find and use appropriate resources
Critical thinking
Measurable knowledge base
Performance ability
Social and ethical skills
Self-sufficient and self-motivated
Facility with computer
Leadership skills
Ability to work on a team
Communication skills
Proactive thinking
Congruence with workplace skills

From Samford Problem Based Learning Initiative

This site was constructed for educators because there is still much to be learned about this relatively new form of pedagogy. Innovations and new discoveries about both its benefits and challenges are emerging.

The following questions are important to our investigation:

1. What is PBL?

2. What are the different types of PBL?

3. Who conducted the major studies on PBL? What was the context of the research? What does the research show?

4. What methodologies help in developing PBL curriculum?

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