QEP 2006/2007
Problem-Based Learning Faculty
“Advance” Conference
Sullivan University
November 2, 2006
Lessons Learned from Practicing,
Researching, and Teaching
Other Faculty the Pedagogy of
Problem-Based Learning
Keynote Address
Dr. Mick La Lopa
Purdue University
Overview of Keynote
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What is PBL?
The Most Important Person to PBL?
Underlying Factors of PBL
Information Literacy
Barriers for Faculty & Students
Problems Associated with PBL
The Rewards?!
What is PBL?
One definition:
• Barrows and Tamblyn (1980) defined PBL
as “the learning that results from the process
of working toward the understanding or
resolution of a problem.”
What is PBL?
Another definition:
• Requiring students – working in teams – to
examine a problem, find a solution, think
about whether or not the problem was
solved, and learn from success or failure of
resolving initial problem as intended.
What is PBL?
…as well as:
• A pedagogy that employs the use of “real
world” problems as a context for students to
learn critical thinking and problem solving
skills, and acquire knowledge of the
essential concepts of a course. (Duch, 1995)
What is PBL?
What do you mean “Critical Thinking?”
• Critical Thinking is reflective thought. It
requires one to suspend judgment, maintain
a healthy skepticism, and exercise and open
mind. (John Dewey)
Underlying Factors of PBL
Underlying Factors of PBL
Synergistic Knowledge Development1:
• Process by which teams of students’
constructively integrate diverse perspectives
of individual members in the context of
group projects / tasks.
Notes: 1 Mu, S. & Gnyawali (2003). Developing Synergistic Knowledge
Development in Students. The Journal of Higher Education 74(6): 689-711.
Underlying Factors of PBL
SKD is a function of:
• Task Conflict
• Psychological Safety
• Social Interaction
• Attitude Toward PBL
– If students not into PBL like the teacher then
lower incidence of SKD.
Underlying Factors of PBL
Essential Communication Thresholds:
• Procedural Discourse – initiated by teacher
or students as to how to approach the
problem.
• Generative Discourse – conversations
between team members that provide an
opportunity to discuss new meaning or gain
new understanding around the problem.
Underlying Factors of PBL
Communication Thresholds
• Authoritative Discourse – the team reports
their solution to the problem to classroom
peers and teacher.
• Must be vigilant to monitor the discourse of
the teams to keep them on task and limit
social discourse.
The Most Important
Person to Any
PBL Initiative is?
The Librarian
See this photo of a Librarian?
What do you not see!?
What is the Role of the Librarian?
Critical to Those Teaching via PBL
• Involved early on in planning the
assignment(s) long before they are given to
students.
• May employ scaffolding to bridge students
from the discipline specific problem to
pertinent information sources.
What is the Role of the Librarian?
Critical to Those Teaching via PBL
• Is the CEO of Information Literacy (IL) that joins
with faculty to teach students how to access and
evaluate resources that will help them solve the
problem as they defined it.
• Students ultimately learn to identify and retrieve
the best information resource to use, not the one
that is most convenient – like
Information Literacy
Definition of IL
• In the broadest possible terms, IL is the
ability to access, evaluate, and use
information from a variety of sources –
which is the heart and soul of PBL.
(Source: http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~sg96d600/InfoLit_Paper.html)
Information Literacy
The IL Process:
1. Knowing you have an information need.
2. Identifying and retrieving the needed
information to address the topic – using
different formats as necessary (e.g., web
resources, experts, printed materials).
Source:
http://www.umuc.edu/library/tutorials/information_literacy/intro.html
Information Literacy
The IL Process:
3. Evaluating and critically examining the
information and its source.
4. Organizing the information.
5. Using the information effectively.
Barriers for Faculty
Barriers for Faculty
Writing Problems
• Most faculty think they understand how to
write problems after the initial PBL
workshop but are really captive of the grade
school paradigm of “problem solving” such
as next slide:
Barriers for Faculty
Writing Problems
• Mary and Patty leave their house at 2
o'clock, following the same route. Patty
walks at a steady pace of 4 mph. Mary
walks at a leisurely rate of 2 mph for 2
hours and then jogs at 6 mph. When will
Mary catch up with Patty?
Barriers for Faculty
Writing Problems
• Who is Patty?
• Who is Mary?
• Really, who cares!?
Barriers for Faculty
Writing Problems
• The problem should be relevant to the
learner, interesting, and invite them to want
to develop the skills being taught in the
class.
• So, perhaps the problem could be retooled
to teach how math can be used to calculate
time and distance by:
Barriers for Faculty
Writing Problems
• How many students in class have friends,
relatives, or acquaintances that live out of
state?
• Work with a partner to choose one for
today’s lesson, which is:
Barriers for Faculty
Writing Problems
• If traveling by car what time would you
arrive at _________________ house if left
your house on Saturday morning at 8 am?
Grading Issues
• How do you develop an “answer key” for
problems such as the one above?
Barriers for Faculty
Time
• It takes more time and thought to teach a
PBL module or full blown course as
compared to the basic lecture.
Fear of the Unknown
• Putting students in control of their learning
is scary to those teachers accustomed to
command and control.
Barriers for Students
Barriers for Students
The Mistakes of Teachers Past
• Students used to “sage on the stage” and
unsure of themselves in a PBL environment.
• Students want to know “the answer.” They
may try to arrive at solution to the problem
that will meet with approval of teacher.
• You are the teacher so teach me!
Barriers for Students
The Loss of Control
• There are students who will feel emotional
stress when their grade depends on the
efforts of others on PBL assignments.
Problems Associated
with PBL
Problems Associated with PBL
Social Loafing
• Students will take advantage of being part
of a team and do as little as possible to get
by and let the bulk of the team do the work
yet get the grade given the team.
• The source of social loafing on team-based
projects is?!
Problems Associated with PBL
Social Loafing
• The teacher is primarily responsible for
social loafing. If the problem does not
require the resources of a team then there
will be slacking based on human nature.
• The students are also responsible for social
loafing because they permit it by taking on
work the slackers were supposed to do.
Problems Associated with PBL
The Copy and Paste Generation
• Students have no qualms about highlighting
information on the Internet, copying, and
then pasting it into a document without
citing the source. They think that since it is
free and accessible it does not have to be
cited so plagiarism may ensue.
Problems Associated with PBL
The Path of Least Resistance
• Students are “Americanized.” They read
the problem then hastily formulate an
answer.
• They then find information to support their
answer which requires no thinking or
objectivity on their part!
Problems Associated with PBL
Student Behavioral Styles
• What is the mix of students? What is
percentage of Directors, Relaters,
Socializers, or Thinkers?
• The students in my classes are Socializers
and they would rather take a beating than
engage in thinking activities 
The Rewards?
The Rewards?
Complaints to the Department Head
• Students are the one group of consumers
who complain the loudest when give
them what they are paying for!
The Rewards?
Lower Course Evaluations!
• There is a direct correlation between the
amount of thinking required on behalf of the
students and course evaluations.
– In my intro class there are high 4’s (max 5). In
junior class there are high 3’s and low 4’s. In
my senior class there are 2’s!
The Rewards?
Personal Satisfaction
• The students may not like learning via PBL
but one day they will appreciate the fact that
you equipped them to solve the problems
they are certain to face in their lives and
careers (transfer validity).
The Rewards?
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Can contribute to the scholarship of PBL by
conducting workshops, presenting at
conferences, and non-refereed and refereed
publications, such as Purdue’s IJPBL, and
more.
Questions, please?
Standing Ovation 