The Experiential Learning Center | Destination PBL

The Destination: Problem-Based Learning (DPBL) project at the Experiential Learning Center at Truckee Meadows Community College advocates for and supports problem-based learning in STEM classrooms nationally. We develop tools for faculty creating and assessing PBL scenarios and tasks for their classrooms and sponsor a Library of  Scenarios and Tasks. We work with our PBL and ATE allies to develop professional development opportunities including the SC ATE National Resource Center‘s  Roots and Wings Instructional Leadership Institute in Charleston SC, Leeward Community College’s  Pacific Region Learning Summit (PRLS) May 13-17th, and the Mid Pacific ICT Center’s Summer Faculty Professional Development Week in San Francisco in June.   This project builds on the work of our previous projects in scenario-based learning (aka PBL with scenarios or SBL) at Foothill-DeAnza Community College District.

What are Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Problem-Based Learning with Scenarios (SBL)?

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has many variations in content and delivery (Barrows, 2000; Savin-Baden, 2011). Classic PBL features a rich, concrete problem that requires free inquiry by students and the learning is student-centered (Evenson & Hmelo, 2000). The problem is presented before the content or lecture so that students must build their own knowledge-based in pursuit of a solution. Faculty serve as facilitators and support students in that quest.

In our problem-based learning with scenario model (SBL) the rich problem is co-authored by faculty and employers and does not have one correct solutions, students work in teams to collaboratively discover at least part of the solution, faculty provide resources to support the students’ work, and a debrief provides students and faculty the opportunity to reflect on their learning experience. In 2012-2013 our PBL Hawaii cohort is developing Standards of Practice for teaching and learning with PBL (see  http://pblhi.weebly.com/index.html ). In Spring 2013 we will develop and publish a PBL Assessment Builder.

See Scenarios->Completed & Pending to access our FREE library of scenarios

See Tools-> Scenario Builder to access our FREE scenario-building tools

Watch this slideshow for an introduction to SBL and PBL:

References

Barrows, H. (2000). Foreword. In D. E. Evenson and C. E. Hmelo (Eds.), Problem-Based learning: A research perspective on learning interactions, (pp vii-ix). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.

Evenson, D.E. and Hmelo, C.E. (2000). Problem-Based learning: A research perspective on learning interactions. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.

Savin-Baden, M. (2011). Codes, guidelines and missing treasure: Piracy and Problem-based learning. Keynote presentation 3rd Symposium on Problem-based Learning. Coventry University 28-29 November.