PBL Glossary of Terms
Case Objectives - specific statements of what the students should be able to do by the end of
the case as a result of working through the case. Case objectives should help the students move
towards meeting the overall course objective addressed in this case. Case objectives should be:
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A description of an intended outcome of instruction (what the student will do when
demonstrating mastery of the objective) rather than an instructional procedure
Detailed enough to ensure the desired performance would be understood and
recognized by another competent person exactly as YOU would understand and
recognize it
Realistic and achievable
Measureable
Relevant to the course objective
Appropriate for the student’s stage of development
They should include Basic Science objectives, Clinical objectives and Longitudinal Theme
objectives (if applicable).
*When you write objectives, limit the number of objectives to those that are realistic for
students at their level of training and can be realistically covered within the timeframe
of the case.
Confirming evidence - information that points to each hypothesis
Cues - used in PBL cases as a way to help students think about what they know and what they
don’t know and gently guide them to discuss information that will lead them to possible
learning issues and meeting the objectives of the case. The best way to help write cues is to
think of writing a PBL case like writing a mystery novel. In a mystery, you write cues within the
novel to help the reader unravel the mystery and solve the case. In a PBL case, cues help
students think about things that are important for them to learn (e.g., case objectives).
Disconfirming evidence - information that is inconsistent with each hypothesis
Evidence to seek - what the students want more information about regarding each hypothesis
Facilitator probes - questions for facilitators to ask students in order to keep the discussion
going. Facilitators may use these probes to help them with questioning students. When
appropriate, provide answers to the questions as a reference for facilitators.
Facilitator notes - directions and reminders for facilitators. They are meant to support
facilitators in aiding student learning. Facilitator notes correlate with the student presentation
slides to make them user-friendly for facilitators.
For assistance or consultation contact Office of Educational Development (409) 772-2791
7/26/16
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Ground Rules - statements about how the members of the tutorial group will interact with one
another and honor the PBL process. Ground rules are written down and posted for each tutorial
session. They can be revised when necessary based on the needs of the group. Ground rules
serve two major functions:
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In establishing common expectations for how group members will work together,
ground rules can smooth group interactions and help prevent conflictual situations from
escalating into crises.
In the event that conflict does precipitate crisis, ground rules can serve as the basis for
diagnosing problems and deciding what to do to resolve them. (Hitchcock. & Anderson,
1997).
Learning Issues - questions that cannot be answered with students’ current knowledge and that
can be explored and answered through systematic, self-directed inquiry. The use of learning
issues in PBL prepares students to handle similar challenges in clinical practice and life-long
learning. Essential characteristics of learning issues include that they:
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Reflect integrated knowledge from different disciplines (e.g., what is the relationship
between the function and the structural features of the muscle cell?
Are best phrased as focused questions
Are best written in full sentences
Identify what is needed to move students to the next level of understanding
Provide a bridge for linking pre-existing knowledge to new knowledge
Can be identified at any step and at any time as the learning process unfolds
Should be written on the white board and reviewed before leaving each PBL session.
Should be researched between sessions and discussed/explained at the following
session
Should be researched by all members of the group rather than divided up (at least the
top 3-5 learning issues)
Pertinent positives – findings whose presence supports the diagnosis
Pertinent negatives – findings whose absence supports the diagnosis (being afebrile could be a
pertinent negative).
Problem - A problem is any abnormal presentation (symptom), finding, or historical event
(surgery etc.).
Active problems are those that might be related to the presenting complaint.
Mechanism of the problem may be the anatomical, physiological, cellular process level
explanation(s) for the problem.
For assistance or consultation contact Office of Educational Development (409) 772-2791
7/26/16
2
Storyboard – (Traditional definition) a sequence of drawings, typically with some directions
and dialogue, representing the shots planned for a movie or television production.
Storyboard as used in the context of PBL case development – A way to sequence the story of
PBL using all of the elements of a story such as characters, plot, time, setting, and conflict.
Story elements:
Characters: The objects (usually people or animals, but sometimes plants or inanimate
objects) in the story.
Setting: The moment in time and geographic location in which a story takes place.
The setting helps initiate the main backdrop and mood for a story.
Plot: The events that make up a story, particularly as they relate to one another in a
pattern, in a sequence, through cause and effect, how the reader views the story, or simply
by coincidence.
Conflict: Conflict is the inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or more
characters or forces. There is a conflict in every story. Plot is centered on this conflict
and the ways in which the characters attempt to resolve the problem. The climax is
when the story is when the action becomes most exciting, right before the resolution
Resolution: Solution to the conflict.
Tasks - questions explicitly stated in student PowerPoint slides. The goal of tasks is to will
generate discussions around the case objectives and lead students to potential learning Issues.
For assistance or consultation contact Office of Educational Development (409) 772-2791
7/26/16
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