What is PBL?

What is PBL?

“The principal idea behind problem-based learning is…that the starting point for learning should be a problem, a query or a puzzle that the learner wishes to solve”

(Boud. D, 1995, p.13. Enhancing Learning through Self Assessment. London: Kogan Page)

Problem-based courses start with problems rather than with exposition of disciplinary knowledge. They move students towards the acquisition of knowledgeand skills through a staged sequence of problems presented in context, together with associated learning materials and support from teachers

What I know best I have taught

“…the individuals learning the most in the teacher-centred classrooms are the teachers there. They have reserved for themselves the very conditions that promote learning:

actively seeking new information, integrating it with whatis known, organising it is a meaningful way, and explaining it to others”

(Huba & Freed, 2000)

“The search for educational methodologies that emphasisereal world challenges, higher order thinking skills,multi-disciplinary learning, independent learning, teamwork and communication skills has a confluence in the holistic approach to problem-based learning”.

(Tan Oon Seng, 2000)

Competencies for a Knowledge-Based Economy (KBE)

• Problem-solving• Communication and team-working• Creativity and innovation• Leadership• Adaptability• Learning-to-learn skills

Key Features of PBL Activities

PBL activities can vary in terms of size, structure and discipline involvement. However, they typically involve:• Working on real world tasks – developing specific and

generic competences• Process driving content• Active and collaborative learning• Accessing, organising and making sense of relevant

content knowledge• Developing learning to learn skills and dispositions

Pedagogic benefits attributed to PBL

• Is consistent with established knowledge on how we learn. The active learning ‘real world’ approach helps students to create knowledge structures/mental models that facilitate understanding (deep learning). This enables rapid recall in situations of future practice and transfer of learning

• Promotes both independent and cooperative learning by empowering students in the organisation of the learning process

• Fosters core competencies and dispositions essential for lifelong learning

• Models the world of what professionals actually do -hence a better means of preparation for work than traditional content based curricula.

Content - Process relationship

Problem Scenario

Process skills(Thinking, Communication, Teamwork)

ContentDerived from the world of practiceEmphasis on essential concepts

PBL Sequence of Activity

There is no universal approach to PBL, but the following features are characteristic of the process• Presentation of problem as a simulation of professional practice or a

‘real life’ situation• Generation of questions and use of thinking to explore the problem

and plan a course of action that will lead to its solution• Collaborative research activity to access and explore information

sources in order to build up of knowledge base of relevant resources relating to the problem

• Presentations of information found, peer teaching and application of the learning to the problem situation

• Review of the problem in relation to new knowledge and evaluation of the learning process

PBL problems should…

• contain ‘cues’ that trigger learners to identify the desired learning outcomes

• be at the appropriate level of complexity for learners profile

• integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes across topics

• mirror the real world of professional practice• promote collaborative and active learning• sufficiently identify the expected task and context

Checklist for developing a problemHave I:

Selected appropriate content relating to the Curriculum (learning outcomes) _______________________________________________________________Determined the availability of necessary resources(personnel, equipment, learning materials, etc.) ________________________________________________________________Written a problem statement that:

• Is grounded in the student experience• Is appropriate for developmental/competence level • Provides a focused question• Is sufficiently ill structured to allow more than one correct answer• Allows for a variety of teaching/learning strategies

________________________________________________________________Chosen an activity that will motivate students _________________________________________________________________Produced an assessment strategy and necessary marking scheme

Problem Evaluation• Did the problem create student interest

• Did the problem build core content knowledge

• Did the problem promote types of thinking • Was the problem sufficiently real world based

• Did the problem allow sufficient student choice

• Was the problem at the right level for the students • Were the students able to access sufficient resources

In what ways can this problem be improved:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Director of DACE has requested us to consider the usefulness of problem-based learning as a means of making the curriculum more suited to the needs of a knowledge-based economy.

The above could be a PBL activity for us as teaching professionals. You will notice that the problem is:

• Real world based- relevant to our professional lives• Involves much research activity, good thinking and the development of a rich knowledge base• Requires collaborative learning• Challenging but achievable

Designing a PBL Curriculum

• Produce a discipline map for each subject (e.g., key concepts, principles procedures) that are to constitute the content objectives

• Identify the generic competences to be developed (e.g., types of thinking, team-working, communications skills, etc.)

• Prepare a range and progression of problems that facilitate the integration of content objectives and generic competences

Types of Competency Models

Many different methods of developing competency modelshave evolved, but the most effective ones share certain characteristics. All of them follow McClelland’s dictate todetermine what leads to superior performance and to identifytop performers and find out what they do. This can be brokendown to two important principles:1. focus on highly successful people without making

assumptions about their role2. pay attention to what they actually do

The Systems Method (Linkage, 1997)This approach focuses not only on what exemplary performers do now, but also behaviours that may be important in future

Defining Competency

“…a cluster of related knowledge, skills, and attitudes that affect a major part of one’s job (a role or responsibility), that correlates with performance on the job, that can be measured against well-accepted standards, and that can be improved viatraining and development” (Parry, S. R. The Quest for Competencies, “Training”, July, 1996, pp 48-55)

“A competency model describes the particular combination ofknowledge, skills and characteristics needed to effectivelyperform a role in an organisation and is used as a human resourcetool for selection, training and development, appraisal, andsuccession planning”

(Lucia, A. D. & Lepsinger, R.,1999, ‘The Art and Science of Competency Models’, p.5)

Competency Approach and Occupational Levels

“The competency-based approach will work equally well in anyoccupational training area… as well as at any level…vocational, technical , or professional.” (p.19)

“It is simply not true that the competencies that make upcompetency-based training programs have to be low level orbasic skills. If the trainee needs to be able to “solve quadraticequations,” or “diagnose the patients condition,” or “land a 747without power’…then its simply a matter of saying so.” (p20)

Blank. W. E, 1982, Handbook For Developing Competency-Based Training Programs

Competence, Knowledge & Understanding

• Competence, Knowledge and Understanding are all constructs – not something we can observe directly

• Knowledge and understanding contribute to competence• Knowledge and understanding are best learned ‘in use’• Competency, knowledge and understanding are highly

contextualized

Competency Pyramid

Aptitude Traits/Dispositions

Skills Knowledge

Behaviours

Quality Standards for a Competency framework

• Clear and easy to understand• Relevant to all staff who are affected by the

framework• Takes account of expected changes (e.g., it is essential that a

vision of the future is encompassed when developing a competency framework. In considering relevance, current and expected demands must be balanced with expected changes)

• Has discrete elements (e.g., behavioural indicators do not overlap)

• Fair to all affected by its use

Each competency should have discrete elements

• One competency must not depend on another competency

• Competencies and indicators must appear in only one place in the framework

• Competencies must not relate to more than one cluster

• Indicators must not relate to more than one competency

• Indicators must not relate to more than one competency level

Writing Behavioural Indicators

They should:• describe directly measurable behaviour (ie observable) examples of

an individual’s competency– e.g., produces detailed learning plans for facilitating student learning

objectives• describe just one piece of behaviour or evidence – it should not be

possible for an individual to be good at one part of the indicator and poor at another

• not be duplicated across competencies or levels• include a verb clause; indicators describe what a person does• include enough contextual information to make the action meaningful

–ie indicate why the person is performing the action– e.g., produces detailed learning plans for facilitating student learning

objectives

Stages in Producing a Competency Framework

• Getting buy in from key personnel• Clarifying the purpose of the framework• Planning the project• choosing analysis techniques• Data gathering• Preparing and analysis data• Drafting the competency framework• Validating the draft competencies• Revising and finalising the competencies• Launching the framework

Data Gathering

The main objectives for this stage are:• to collect examples of behaviours relevant to effective performance in the

work role• to identify behaviours which may be necessary for effective performance

in future

Sources of data include (using teaching as an example):• Ministry of Educational directives• Professional curriculum documents• Leading writers in the field• Lecturers views about what they do• Stakeholders (e.g., students, industry, etc)

Validating the draft competencies

Validation is necessary to ensure that:• the competencies actually relate to all the roles in the target

population• the draft competency framework is meaningful in the eyes of the

intended users• the behaviours actually differentiate between good and less good

performance (e.g., when different competency levels are used)Two important considerations are particularly pertinent:1. Do individuals who demonstrate the competencies perform their

work more effectively than colleagues who do not demonstrate these competencies?

2. Do individual job-holders recognize the competencies as relevant and necessary for effective performance in their jobs/roles?

Four Things Needed to implement a competency-based training and development system

1. A set of behaviours that describe what the competencies look like on the job

2. A process to identify the extent to which people currently use the competencies

3. An awareness of training and development opportunities that help people learn and develop the competencies

4. A support and follow-up mechanism to ensure that skill and knowledge gaps are closed

Competencies in Context

It is important to remember that competencies focus on behaviour. While behaviour is clearly an important issue in performance, other factors are also important:• The context in which he or she operates• Personal factors (those more innate personality traits) • Organisational factors

Furthermore, in relation to training and development, while a competencyframework helps to focus each stage, without skilled people to design, deliver, and support the events and activities, competency-based trainingand development will be no better than any other poorly resourced process

Measurement of Competency

Invariably some components of competency are more easier to measure than others (e.g., skills and knowledge are much easier to measure than innate aptitudes, personality traits and dispositions- as well as being more readily influenced by training and development).

However, there is evidence that even traits that are primarily innate“can be modified and developed” (Zemke & Kramlinger).Furthermore, even personality traits that might appear non-quantifiable (e.g., charisma, creativity, etc) can be measured and assessed when they are translated into behavioural terms.

(Zemke, R & Kramlinger, T.,1982, ‘Figuring Things Out: A Trainer’s Guide to Needs and Task Analysis’, p.29)

Assessment in a Competency-based Framework

“Assessment is the process of getting hold of evidence byone or a number of means and making judgements of theevidence in order to make inferences about an individual’scompetence.

Assessment, therefore, while based on the idea of competent or not competent, is slightly more subtle than that, in that it is stating that there is sufficient evidence fromwhich to infer that an individual is competent; there isinsufficient evidence to infer an individual’s competence atthe present time although they may well be so; or that from the evidence which is currently available it is unlikely thatthe individual is competent at present.”

Mitchell, L.,1990, The definition of standards and their assessment, Ch 5, p.60. In Burke, J. (Ed) ‘Competency Based Education and Training’. The Falmer Press: London.

Evidence of Occupational CompetenceASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL

COMPETENCE

Specially ElicitedEvidence

Naturally Occurring Evidence(in work process)

Knowledge &Understandinge.g. written ororal assessment

TYPE A

Performancee.g. traditionalskills tests

TYPE B

PredeterminedSamples set inWork Place

TYPE C

OngoingWork

TYPE D

Start here and moveTo the left if not

possible

TYPE

SOURCE