Global Utilities

La Trobe University
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Structuring the PBL process

A general structure for PBL

From Woods, D. (1996) "Problem-based Learning: resources to gain the most from PBL."

  • Explore the problem, create hypotheses, identify issues. Elaborate.
  • What is the problem, the factors that are important, what is your hypothesis about what is happening?
  • Identify what you know already that is pertinent.
  • What do you know already?
  • Identify what you do not know.
  • What new information do you need to know?
  • As a group, prioritise the learning needs, set learning goals and objectives, and allocate resources.
  • Members identify which tasks they will do. Contract to teach each other.
  • Individual self-study and preparation how best to teach others.
  • Return to group, share the new knowledge effectively so that all the group learn the information.
  • Does everyone now know the key new knowledge?
  • Apply the knowledge to solve the problem.
  • Assess the new knowledge, the problem solution and the effectiveness of the process used.
  • Reflect on the process. Elaborate on the problem.

Example of process for larger groups

From Cleary, (undated).

Meeting 1

Step 1: written protocol or problem distributed to students (5 - 12 lines)
Step 2: students consider problem and identify important information
Step 3: students spend 3 - 5 mins in buzz (sub) groups discussing issues
Step 4: Information fed back to larger group and discussion. Students explain new terminology and tutor clarifies terms not known. Data points, hypotheses, additional questions and learning issues are identified as they arise.
Step 5: on completion of discussion, students select learning issues they will examine more thoroughly (either individually or in groups) prior to next class

Meeting 2 (and subsequent meetings)

Step 6: at next meeting, previous discussion reviewed
Step 7: students share findings from own research in buzz groups
Step 8: buzz groups report back to larger group
Step 9: new observations and hypotheses are added to data and students are invited to comment on these or to offer alternative suggestions/explanations.
Step 10: students consider the state of play: what now?, more information needed?, review of hypotheses?, new learning issues?

An alternative process

From Woods, D. (1996) "Problem-based Learning: resources to gain the most from PBL."

  1. Goals meeting:
    Read problem statement, explore issues, prioritise, convert to learning objectives. Allocate learning tasks: discuss peer "teaching" expectations and format for next session (1-1.5 hr)
  2. Teach meeting:
    Each student returns to her/his group and teaches her/his topic (1-2 hr)
  3. Feedback meeting:
    Each comes to meeting with a "good" 10 min test question based on the objectives from the Goals meeting. They provide an answer to their question. The group selects one question and, through the tutor, poses this to another group. In turn they receive a test question from another group. They have 30 mins to write out an answer to the question. Groups send representative to other groups to "mark" the answer. (1-2 hr)
  4. Consolidate: (preparation for peer teaching; mini subject peer-led tutorials)
    Offered in between group meetings; since all groups have the same core objectives, probably one person from each group has contracted to learn and teach subject "A" (for example, "interest and depreciation"). Bring members from different groups together who have the same topic. In this meeting they share with each the various resources they have found, compare interpretation and check they all understand the common subject. (1 &; 2 hr)
  5. Elaborate (after Feedback meeting):
    Once the group has completed the "problem", ask them to create another 10 problems that they could solve based on the same fundamental principles. Elaborate by looking for similar problems, ones that have similar symptoms but different solutions; ones that have different symptoms and similar solutions. (1 hr)

Typical Sequence of Discussion in a PBL Tutorial

From Jacinta Douglas, Human Communication Science, LTU; a hybrid approach based on Barnet et al 1999; Duch, 1995; McPherson & Murphy, 1997; Waterman & Menin, 1995; Woods, 1996

  1. Trigger
  2. Identify cues
    What have you observed?
  3. Formulate Problem/s
    What is the problem (something that needs further clarification, attention, analysis, etc.)? Prioritise if the list is long.
  4. Generate Hypotheses
    What are the possible causes for the problem?
    • Use broad categories to begin with
    • One hypothesis may explain several problems
    • Prioritise if the list is long.
  5. Explain Hypotheses
    Why have you chosen these hypotheses?
    • Describe your thinking process
    • Explain how your hypothesis leads to (or causes) the problem
    • This is a key step. It leads to recall and application of prior knowledge and generation of questions as students reach the limitation of their understanding.
  6. Identify learning issues
    What information is needed to help make one of your issues hypotheses more or less likely?
    • Knowledge of mechanisms, functions, processes, treatment, research designs etc.
    • History information, test results, language/speech sample etc.
    • Explain how the information will help you assess the likelihood of your hypotheses.
  7. Get new information/ Plan the inquiry
    How will you get the information?
    • information provided by the tutor
    • students plan inquiry and identify resources
  8. Individual Study Individual/group study is guided by learning issues.
    • Students gather and share information and evidence
  9. Generate and evaluate Solutions
    What is the best possible solution?
    • Students generate and evaluate solutions based on the information and evidence they have gathered.
  10. Solution/Decision
    A solution or decision is reached.
    • the solution or decision can relate to any aspect of the practice: diagnosis, management, service delivery, research, professional development or education.

Generate Management

What are the management options and constraints

  • Prioritise if the list is long
  • This is the management equivalent to 4
  • Students complete the reasoning process for management i.e. 4 & 10.

Questions for research

What are the research questions that arise from this case/problem?

  • Prioritise if the list is long
  • This is the research equivalent to 4
  • Students complete the reasoning process for research, i.e. 4 & 10.

All problems are completed with the following two steps:

  1. Summary
    • What were the learning objectives/issues that were met/ not met?
  2. Evaluation
    • How did the group process work for this problem