mona dahms, aalborg university, denmark mona@plan.aau.dk

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Problem Based Learning: A teaching and learning tool for enhancing innovative

capacity in EAC higher education engineering institutions

The 2nd EEEP workshop Makerere UniversityAugust 7 – 8, 2014

Mona Dahms, Aalborg University, Denmarkmona@plan.aau.dk

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The Rationale of this Presentation

• The Aalborg Centre for Problem Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability (UCPBL) launched May 2014 at Aalborg University (AAU) under the auspices of UNESCO

• One of the objectives of UCPBL is to disseminate information about Problem Based Learning (PBL) worldwide

• This workshop aims to contribute to fulfilling this objective

The activities in the programmeTime Event

Thursday

14.00-15.00 Part I: Problem Based Learning (PBL) – What is it? Why introduce it in EAC Engineering institutions? (MLD)

15:00-15:20 Part II: Challenges and Strategies in implementing PBL in Teaching and Learning – comments based on country reports (MLD)

15.20-15.50 General discussion (all)

15.50-16.20 Health break3

The activities in the programme

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Time Event

Friday

08.45-09.00 Announcements

09.00-10.30 Summary of yesterdays work. Introduction to group work on educational change (MLD)

10.30-11.00 Health break

11.00-12.30 Challenges and strategies in implementing PBL in my institution (Groups)

12.30-14.00 Lunch break and networking

14.00-15.00 Group presentations (Group leaders)

15.00-15.30 General discussion (all)

15.30-16.00 Wrap up and the way forward (MLD)

Intended learning outcomes for the workshop

After this workshop you should be able to •describe and discuss the PBL learning theories and principles•describe strategies for, factors in and patterns of change in a higher education institution•discuss and analyse challenges and strategies for implementing PBL in your own institution

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An important beginning

A dynamic list of questions

Please list, for your own purposes, the questions for which you hope to have an

answer by the end of this workshop

Cowan, 2003

And keep watching it…..

…. or even adding to it, to make sure you get what you need by the time we finish

I rely on you to ask, as we go along

Cowan, 2003

Part I: Problem Based Learning (PBL) – What is it? Why introduce it in EAC

Engineering institutions?

Outline:1.PBL – paradigm shifts

2.Characteristics of PBL

3.Different PBL models

4.Reasons for introducing PBL

This lecture contributes to achieving ILO 18

1. PBL – PARADIGM SHIFTS

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Paradigm shifts

PBL represents a paradigm shift at three levels:

1. Epistemological level

2. Educational management level

3. Teaching and learning level

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1. Epistemological level

• From Mode 1 knowledge – disciplinary knowledge, hierarchically structured,

produced by and for academia in the ‘ivory tower’, driven by quest for knowledge

• to Mode 2 knowledge– interdisciplinary knowledge, non-hierarchical,

produced by stakeholders in and outside of university, driven by quest to solve local problems

11(SA NQF, 2006)

A quote on knowledges

• ”..sustainability can only be achieved if … institutions of higher learning interrogate indigenous knowledges and practices of sustainable development and articulate them with existing scientific and technological knowledges in order to generate policies and programs that are Africa-centred, and acceptable to the local people.”

12(Okolie, 2003, p. 236)

2. Educational management level

• From ‘Inputs Based’ Education (IBE)– focus on ‘inputs’, i.e, transmission of theoretical

knowledge delivered through lectures based on textbooks and disciplinary needs for contents and coverage

• to Outcomes Based Education (OBE)– focus on ‘outcomes’, i.e. graduates’ competences to

create and apply practical knowledge in solution to real-life problems

13(SA NQF, 2006)

The relation between OBE and PBL

• ”Outcome-based Education … is a student-centered learning process..” (Kavishe, 2014)

• OBE is an educational system where focus is on students’ achievement of outcomes and therefore on the student-centered learning process

• PBL is one of several student-centered approaches to teaching and learning in which the learning process is focused on achieving the learning outcomes

• Other student-centered approaches are team-based learning, project organised learning, etc.

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3. Teaching and learning level

• From teacher centered Mode 1 knowledge transmission

• to student centered Mode 2 knowledge creation and application

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3. Teaching and learning level

Shifting role of teacher:•From lecturer transmitting knowledge •to facilitator of creation and application of knowlegde•‘from the sage at the stage to the guide at the side’

Shifting role of student:•From passive recipient of knowledge•to active creator of knowledge that is applied to solve real-life problems

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2. CHARACTERISTICS OF PBL

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PBL learning theories

• Social constructivism• Experiential learning – the Kolb cycle• Peer learning – zone of proximal development• Collaborative learning – communities of practice

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Social constructivism

– Learning is the student’s individual process of constructing knowledge and meaning, based on information inputs from many sources and in collaboration with others

– Teaching is the ”setting up of a situation from which a motivated learner cannot escape without having learned” (Cowan, 2003) – teaching is not (only) lecturing but creating enabling and sustainable learning environments

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Experiential learning – the Kolb cycle

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”Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experiences” (Kolb)

Peer learning – zone of proximal development

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• Peer learning takes place in the ‘zone of proximal development’ which is ….

• “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotskij 1978)

Collaborative learning – communities of practice

• “Learning is a function of the activity, context, and culture in which it normally occurs, thus it is situated” (Ref: Lave & Wenger 1991)

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PBL learning principles

Contents: •Problem based•Contextualised•Interdisciplinary•Exemplary•Action oriented•Theory – practice relation

Form:• Team organised• Participant directed• Experience based• Critically questioning• Dialogic and democratic• A facilitating tutor/teacher• Project organised or case

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Graff and Kolmos 2003; Qvist 2008

PBL competences

PBL develops students’ professional competences, incl.problem solvinganalytical and methodological critical thinkingsocial and environmental responsibilitycreativity, innovation and entrepreneurshipproject management communication, negotiation and conflict resolution life long learning

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3. DIFFERENT PBL MODELS

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Four different PBL Models

a) University of Brasilia, Brazilb) Republic Polytechnic, Singaporec) University of Maastricht, the Netherlandsd) Aalborg University, Denmark

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University of Brasilia

Established in 1960 by progressive socialist government in Brazil.

Main aims:• Counteract scientific dependency on the West• Help solve development problems in Brasilian

society

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University of Brasilia

Main characteristics:• Problem solving• Interdisciplinarity• Experimentation• Integration of research and teaching• Critical, incl. self-critical, approach to teaching

and research• Collaboration with society

Three existing PBL models

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Republic Polytechnic

University of Maastricht

Aalborg University

No. of stud. 5 8 - 10 2 – 7

Lectures -problem work No lectures Few lectures

½ lectures

½ projectLength of problem work One day One week One semester

Pre-structure of problem High Medium Low

‘Teacher’ direction High Low Medium to low

Outcome Presentation + learning

Learning Report, product, presentation + learning

… and now the crucial question:

What is PBL?

What would you answer?

Think - pair - share (1 + 3 + 5 min)

Buzz with the 2 - 3 nearest persons

Please contribute to plenary discussion

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What is PBL?

• Q: Which PBL model is the right / the best??• A: There is no ‘right / best’ PBL model - because• PBL is a learning philosophy, based on given

learning theories and a set of principles - not a prescribed teaching method –

• PBL is not ‘a tool’ !!• There is no ‘one size fits all’ PBL approach – each

university and each department has to develop its own PBL model

4. REASONS FOR INTRODUCING PBL

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Perspectives of five stakeholder

• Government• Industry/society• Educational institutions• Teachers• Students

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Government• Governments want value for money invested in higher

education • and the only way they can get that is by securing high

outcomes of the education• in terms of useful competences of graduates.• Governments have a legitimate right to formulate

national learning outcomes for higher education.• South Africa has formulated the most impressive

cross-critical national learning outcomes of all nations I know of

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Local government

• ”Aalborg University has had enormous influence on the development of Aalborg and North Denmark during the last 40 years… The university has been pivotal in the region’s transformation from traditional industrial society to knowledge society characterised by advanced technology companies” (Former Aalborg Mayor Henning G. Jensen and North Denmark Regional Council Chairman Ulla Astman)

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- an industry/society perspective

• 57% of private employers prefer candidates from AAU over candidates from [a traditional university]

• Reasons given by industry: – good skills in team work– innovation skills– project management skills– ability to acquire new knowledge and skills– methodological and structured way of working

Kandidat 2002

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- an industry/society perspective

One respondent in the survey said:

– “The ones [i.e. the candidates] coming from, for example, Aalborg University, go in and work in projects from the start.”

No lengthy ‘on-the-job’ training is needed!

Kandidat 2002, p. 33

Are there one or more institutions which you find particularly good at developing engineering education according to the

needs of society and companies?

38Ingeniøren, 2008

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- an institutional perspective

Advantages of PBL are, among others, that PBL:• breaks the ‘social heritage’• decreases completion time • increases retention rate• decreases drop out rate • supports innovation and entrepreneurship education• supports education for sustainability

Breaks the ‘social heritage’Students from non-academic families, i.e. parents with no university education (%)

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Jyllandsposten 2012

Decreases completion timeAverage time of study 3 years bachelor + 2 years master

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Improves retention rateStudents completing their studies (%)

42Universities Denmark 2011

Decreases drop out rate

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Supports innovation and entrepreneurship education (EE)EE:•Interdisciplinary and integrated approach to learning•Active methods of engaging students’ creativity and innovativeness•Hands-on real-life learning experiences•Outside-the-classroom activities•Experiential learning processes•Diverse student body enabling innovation

PBL:•Interdisciplinary•Action oriented•Real-life problems•Contextualised•Theory – practice relation•Experience based•Team organised•Participant directed

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Supports education for sustainability (ES)

ES:•Multiperspective context •Interdisciplinary•Team based•Empowering•Critical and systemic thinking•Creative, innovative and constructive •Consciousness of limits•Challenging•Life long learning

PBL:•Contextualised•Interdisciplinary•Team organised•Participant directed•Critically questioning•Action oriented•Theory – practice relation•Dialogic and democratic

45BUP, 2013; Guerra, 2012

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- a teacher perspective

• Closer relation between your research and your teaching

• Working with motivated and interested students is almost like working with younger colleagues

• You become a life long learner and learn together with your students – more fun than just lecturing the same old stuff you know by heart ;-)

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- a student perspective

Working with real life problems

meets the interests of students and therefore enhances motivation, study efforts and competence

achievement which increases employability

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- a student perspective

AAU students on problem orientation: ”This way of learning is much better than only

attending lectures, because I have to know why I need to learn this. When I know the objective clearly, I learn much better.”

”We are engineers – our responsibility is to solve real technological problems.”

”When working on a problem, I am strongly motivated and attracted. We need to solve this problem.”

Du 2006

- A student perspective

• ”Our generation has … a number of characteristics… We are independent. We are good at seeking information. We are very aware that we will be working in ‘the real world’ when we complete our studies. And therefore, application of knowledge is important to us. We refuse to do things just because ‘this is how you do’. We want our studies to be meaningful.”

• I wonder if African students are very different from Danish students in this respect?

49Vestergaard 2014; own translation

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… time for questions and discussion …

Part II: Challenges and strategies for implementing PBL in teaching and

learning

Facilitators comments based on country reports and on previous presentation from

African Regional Conference on Engineering Education (ARCEE), Dar es Salaam, April

2008

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ARCEE keynote - April 2008 52

Why introduce PBL in Africa?

PBL addresses some of the main challenges to universities in Africa:Defective and irrelevant curricula, not responsive to

African society

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 53

PBL and Relevance to Society

PBL emphasises • the use of local, i.e. African, formal and informal

knowledge, • combined with Western knowledge, • in analysing and solving local, i.e. African real-

life problems

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 54

PBL and Relevance to Industry - 1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Project- and staff management

Engineering professional and technicalskills

Contact to and cooperation w ithindustry

Innovation and creativity

Marketing and economics

Overall quality of education

Co

mp

ete

nc

es

% Very good and Good

DtU

AAU

DTU

AAU

Ingeniøren 2004

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 55

Why introduce PBL in Africa?

PBL addresses the main challenges to universities in Africa: Irrelevant curricula not responsive to African society Traditional approaches to teaching and learning

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 56

PBL and Learning

PBL emphasises• creation of knowledge for problem solving• transformation of information into new

knowledge• translation of new knowledge into applications• learning to learn

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 57

Learning to Learn - 1

City University of Hong Kong:

After 15 months of study, ‘non-academic’ first year students following a PBL curriculum showed greater improvements (28%) in meta-cognitive processes of planning, monitoring and evaluating their own learning than a matched group of ‘academic’ first year students following a non-PBL curriculum with the same contents (0%).

Downing 2007

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 58

Learning to Learn - 2

Downing 2007

Learning And Studying Strategy Inventory

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 59

Why introduce PBL in Africa?

PBL addresses the main challenges to universities in Africa: Irrelevant curricula not responsive to African society Changed modes of knowledge production, teaching

and learningMass education, ’poor’ students, inequities in access

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 60

PBL and Mass Education

PBL enhances• peer teaching and –learning, thus• reduces staff work load on lecturing and marking

individual exam papers

PBL and ‘Poor’ Students

Passive

High level engagement

Low level engagement

Theorizing

Applying

Relating

Explaining

Describing

Note taking

MemorizingNon-academic Student

Academic Student

Student activity requiredActive (i.e. PBL)Biggs 2003, p. 4

A

B

A > B

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 62

PBL and Inequities

PBL may address• gender inequities because • women are attracted to engineering when

technology is applied to solve real life problems

Women in engineering are important because• innovation is greatly enhanced by diversity

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 63

Why introduce PBL in Africa?

PBL addresses the main challenges to universities in Africa: Irrelevant curricula not responsive to African society Changed modes of knowledge production, teaching

and learningMass education, ’poor’ students, inequities in accessBrain drain

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 64

The Brain Drain

• “More African scientists and engineers are working in the United States than there are in Africa” (Ndulu 2004, p. 60)

• Estimated African educational investment in highly skilled emigrants to the US: US$ 640 million in 1990 (Ndulu 2004)

ARCEE keynote - April 2008 65

PBL and Brain Drain

PBL may• provide an intellectually challenging learning and

research environment• enhance the students’ sense of ‘ownership’ of

their education and their society• utilise the skills and knowledge of Africans

abroad as supervisors and sources of information

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… time for questions and discussion …

Take a look at your dynamic list of questions – are there any outstanding

questions remaining from today’s activities?

Intended learning outcomes for the workshop

After this workshop you should be able to •describe and discuss the PBL learning theories and principles•describe strategies for, factors in and patterns of change in a higher education institution•discuss and analyse challenges and strategies for implementing PBL in your own institution

Were the first learning outcome achieved today?

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Thank you for today – see you all again tomorrow

morning