Problem-Based LearningOnline Clearinghouse:

Introductory Physics Curriculum

George Watson and Barb Duch

ghw@udel.edu bduch@udel.edu

University of Delaware

Spring 2001 CS-AAPT Meeting

Loyola College

April 21, 2001

“The principal idea behind PBL is…

(Bould, 1985:13)

that the starting pointfor learning should bea problem, a query, or a puzzlethat the learner wishes to solve.”

Compelling Features of PBLfor New Adapters

• Models itself on how students learn.• With information overload, prepares

students to be life-long learners.• More realistic curriculum prepares students

for world outside the classroom.• Ensures more up-to-date materials, content.• Generates enthusiasm among faculty.

Boud and Feletti, 1998

What are the Common Featuresof PBL?

• Learning is initiated by a problem.• Problems are based on complex, real-world

situations.• Information needed to solve problem is not initially

given. Students identify, find, and use appropriate resources.

• Students work in permanent groups.• Learning is active, integrated, cumulative, and

connected.

PBL: The Process

• Students are presented with a problem. They organize ideas and previous knowledge.

• Students pose questions, defining what they know and do not know.

• Students assign responsibility for questions, discuss resources.

• Students reconvene and explore newly learned information, refine questions.

Characteristics ofGood PBL Problems

• Relate to real-world, motivate students

• Require decision-making or judgements

• Multi-page, multi-stage

• Designed for group-solving

• Initial questions open-ended, encourages discussion

• Incorporates course content objectives

• Challenges to higher-order thinking

But…where are the problems?

• Typical end-of-chapter problems can be solved by rote memorization, pattern-match, and plug-and-chug techniques

• Good problems should require students to make assumptions and estimates, develop models, and work through the model.

• A source of problems outside the commercial texts needs to be developed.

“The problem with problems,” E. Mazur, Optics and Photonic News 7, 59 (1996)

PBL Clearinghouse• An online database of PBL articles and problems.• All material is peer-reviewed by PBL practitioners

for content and pedagogy.• All problems are supported by learning objectives

and resources, teaching and assessment notes.• Holdings are searchable by author, discipline,

keywords, or full text.• Fully electronic submission, review, and

publication cycle.• Controlled access by free user subscription,

students excluded.

A Brief Tour of the Clearinghouse

• Logging in to the Clearinghouse

• Applying to be a user

• Searching and Browsing the holdings

• Examining problem detail and supporting materials for a sample problem

• Managing Clearinghouse activities

• Submitting a problem for review

PBL Clearinghousehttp://www.udel.edu/pblc/

PBL at the University of Delawarehttp://www.udel.edu/pbl/

Institute for TransformingUndergraduate Education

http://www.udel.edu/itue/