Like most good educational interventions, problem-based learning (PBL) did not grow out of theory, but out of a practical problem. Medical students were bored, dropping out, and unable to apply what they had learned in lectures to their practical experiences a couple of years later. Neurologist Howard S. Barrows reversed the sequence, presenting students with patient problems to solve in small groups and requiring them to seek relevant knowledge in an effort to solve those problems. Out of his work, PBL was born. The application of PBL approaches has now spread far beyond medical education. Today, PBL is used at levels from elementary school to adult education, in disciplines ranging across the humanities and sciences, and in both academic and corporate settings. This book aims to take stock of developments in the field and to bridge the gap between practice and the theoretical tradition, originated by Barrows, that underlies PBL techniques.
Foreword, by Sophie M. M. Loyens
Acknowledgments
Section 1. The Process and Structure of Problem-Based Learning, Edited by Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver
Overview of Problem-Based Learning: Definitions and Distinctions, by John R. Savery
All Problems Are Not Equal: Implications for Problem-Based Learning, by David H. Jonassen and Woei Hung
The Learning Space in Problem-Based Learning, by Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver
Theoretical Anchors for Barrows’ PBL Tutor Guidelines, by Kareen McCaughan
Problem-Based Learning: Goals for Learning and Strategies for Facilitating, by Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver and Howard S. Barrows
Section 2. New Contexts for Problem-Based Learning, by Edited by Peggy A. Ertmer
Essentials for PBL Implementation: Fostering Collaboration, Transforming Roles, and Scaffolding Learning, by Peggy A. Ertmer and Krista D. Glazewski
Blended Learning and PBL: An Interactional Ethnographic Approach to Understanding Knowledge Construction In Situ, by Susan Bridges, Judith Green, Michael Botelho, and Peter CS Tsang
Examination of Content Acquisition Using Problem-Based Learning in Career and Technical Education Courses at the Middle School Level, by Kimberly Hodges
The GlobalEd 2 Simulations: Promoting Positive Academic Dispositions in Middle School Students in a Web-Based PBL Environmen, by Scott W. Brown, Kimberley A. Lawless, and Mark A. Boyer
Section 3. Combining Problem-Based Learning With Other Interventions, Edited by Heather Leary
Building Theory-Practice Nexus in Pre-Service Physics Teacher Education Through Problem-Based Learning, by Jennifer Yeo
Problem-Based Learning as the Instructional Approach to Field Learning in the Secondary School Setting, by Loretta M. W. Ho and Lung S. Chan
Distributing Scaffolding Across Multiple Levels: Individuals, Small Groups, and a Class of Students, by Sadhana Puntambekar
Preparation for Future Learning: Exploring the Efficacy of Problem-Based Learning and Cross-Curricular Experiences, by Karen Swan, Phil Vahey, Ken Rafanan, Tina Stanford, Louise Yarnall, Mark van’t Hooft, Annette Kratcoski, and Dale Cook
Problem-Based Learning as a Means of Revealing Unseen Academic Potential, by Shelagh A. Gallagher and James J. Gallagher
Drugs, Devices, and Desires: A Historical Exploration of Medical Technology, by Patangi K. Rangachari
Section 4. Summarizing and Assessing the Impact of Problem-Based Learning, Edited by Andrew Walker
A Scientometric, Large-Scale Data, and Visualization-Based Analysis of the PBL Literature, by Hanjun Xian and Krishna Madhavan
A Meta-Analysis of Problem-Based Learning: Examination of Education Levels, Disciplines, Assessment Levels, Problem Types, Implementation Types, and Reasoning Strategies, by Andrew Walker, Heather Leary, and Mason Lefler
Exploring the Relationships Between Tutor Background, Tutor Training, and Student Learning: A Problem-Based Learning Meta-Analysis, by Heather Leary, Andrew Walker, Brett E. Shelton, and M. Harrison Fitt
PBL Effectiveness, Tensions, and Practitioner Implications, by Johannes Strobel and Angela van Barneveld
Epilogue: The Future of PBL, by Andrew Walker, Heather Leary, Peggy A. Ertmer, and Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver
Index
