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Mona Dahms, Aalborg University, Denmark mona@plan.aau.dk

Problem Based Learning: A teaching and learning tool for enhancing innovative capacity in EAC higher education engineering institutions The 2 nd EEEP workshop Makerere University August 7 – 8, 2014. Mona Dahms, Aalborg University, Denmark mona@plan.aau.dk. The Rationale of this Presentation.

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Mona Dahms, Aalborg University, Denmark mona@plan.aau.dk

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  1. Problem Based Learning: A teaching and learning tool for enhancing innovative capacity in EAC higher education engineering institutionsThe 2nd EEEP workshop Makerere UniversityAugust 7 – 8, 2014 Mona Dahms, Aalborg University, Denmark mona@plan.aau.dk

  2. 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

  3. The activities in the programme

  4. The activities in the programme

  5. Intended learning outcomes for the workshop Afterthis workshop youshouldbeable to • describe and discuss the PBL learningtheories 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 yourown institution

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. Part I: Problem Based Learning (PBL) – What is it? Why introduce it in EAC Engineering institutions? Outline: • PBL – paradigmshifts • Characteristics of PBL • Different PBL models • Reasons for introducing PBL This lecturecontributes to achieving ILO 1

  9. 1. PBL – paradigmshifts

  10. Paradigm shifts PBL represents a paradigm shift at three levels: • Epistemological level • Educational management level • Teaching and learning level

  11. 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 (SA NQF, 2006)

  12. 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.” (Okolie, 2003, p. 236)

  13. 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 (SA NQF, 2006)

  14. 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.

  15. 3. Teaching and learning level • From teacher centered Mode 1 knowledge transmission • to student centered Mode 2 knowledge creation and application

  16. 3. Teaching and learning level Shiftingrole of teacher: • From lecturertransmittingknowledge • to facilitator of creation and application of knowlegde • ‘from the sage at the stage to the guide at the side’ Shiftingrole of student: • From passive recipient of knowledge • to activecreator of knowledgethat is applied to solve real-life problems

  17. 2. Characteristicsof PBL

  18. PBL learning theories • Social constructivism • Experientiallearning – the Kolb cycle • Peer learning – zone of proximaldevelopment • Collaborativelearning – communities of practice

  19. 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

  20. Experiential learning – the Kolb cycle ”Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experiences” (Kolb)

  21. Peer learning – zone of proximal development • 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)

  22. 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)

  23. PBL learning principles Contents: • Problem based • Contextualised • Interdisciplinary • Exemplary • Action oriented • Theory – practice relation Form: • Team organised • Participant directed • Experiencebased • Criticallyquestioning • Dialogic and democratic • A facilitating tutor/teacher • Project organised or case based Graff and Kolmos 2003; Qvist 2008

  24. PBL competences PBL develops students’ professional competences, incl. • problem solving • analytical and methodological • criticalthinking • social and environmentalresponsibility • creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship • project management • communication, negotiation and conflict resolution • life long learning

  25. 3. Different PBL models

  26. Four different PBL Models • University of Brasilia, Brazil • Republic Polytechnic, Singapore • University of Maastricht, the Netherlands • Aalborg University, Denmark

  27. 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

  28. 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

  29. Three existing PBL models

  30. … 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

  31. 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

  32. 4. Reasonsfor introducing PBL

  33. Perspectives of five stakeholder • Government • Industry/society • Educational institutions • Teachers • Students

  34. 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

  35. 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)

  36. - 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

  37. - 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

  38. Are there one or more institutions which you find particularly good at developing engineering education according to the needs of society and companies? Ingeniøren, 2008

  39. - 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

  40. Breaks the ‘social heritage’Students from non-academic families, i.e. parents with no university education (%) Jyllandsposten 2012

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

  42. Improves retention rateStudents completing their studies (%) Universities Denmark 2011

  43. Decreases drop out rate

  44. Supports innovation and entrepreneurship education (EE) EE: • Interdisciplinary and integrated approach to learning • Active methods of engaging students’ creativity and innovativeness • Hands-on real-lifelearningexperiences • Outside-the-classroomactivities • Experientiallearning processes • Diverse student bodyenabling innovation PBL: • Interdisciplinary • Action oriented • Real-life problems • Contextualised • Theory – practice relation • Experiencebased • Team organised • Participant directed

  45. Supports education for sustainability (ES) ES: • Multiperspectivecontext • Interdisciplinary • Team based • Empowering • Critical and systemicthinking • Creative, innovative and constructive • Consciousnessof limits • Challenging • Life long learning PBL: • Contextualised • Interdisciplinary • Team organised • Participant directed • Criticallyquestioning • Action oriented • Theory – practice relation • Dialogic and democratic BUP, 2013; Guerra, 2012

  46. - 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 ;-)

  47. - 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

  48. - 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

  49. - 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? Vestergaard 2014; own translation

  50. … time for questions and discussion …

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