Teachers have different innovative strategies, approaches and capabilities in teaching. Through effective teaching and learning approaches, they will be able to fully address the instructional needs of the learners. As we imbibe the 21st century, lecturing and other passive forms of teaching are not enough. Students need to be more engaged with the lesson. For this reason, utilizing problem-based learning is an advantage.
Problem – Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching and learning approach that has become increasingly applied way of academic education. This small group learning approach is using major principles of situated learning and situated cognition. An analysis of cognitive; meta- cognitive and motivational outcomes revealed some benefits of self-directed learning. Learning focuses on the pupil’s ability to solve a problem through acquired knowledge. It is application – based and typically produces a tangible result at the conclusion. It is a small group approach, allowing larger classrooms to be divided into smaller, more personal groups for better interaction and participation.
With problem-based learning the teacher presents a problem, not lectures or gives an assignments or exercises to the students. Learning becomes active through discovery and work that determine to be necessary to solve the problem. The teacher acts a facilitator and mentor, rather than a source of solutions.
According to Hmelo- Silver (2004), problem- based learning is inherently collaborative knowledge construction. Collaboration allows learners to share ideas and develop new, authentic solutions to problems they are trying to solve, and while doing so acquire useful knowledge of theories and concepts. Students collaborate on complex problems, thereby distributing the cognitive load among group members as well as taking advantage of the distributed expertise within the group. Exchanging information is an important part of learning together as knowledge is constructed socially through joint efforts towards common objectives. As some would argue, the very essence of collaboration is the construction of shared meaning. From this sociocultural perspective, as learners participate in these activities, they internalized what they have learned from working together. This view of learning also accounts for the important role of tools and discourse in mediating learning.
As professionals, teachers should engage in actual problem-based learning activities. The students are at the center of the learning process. They are expected to assume a high degree of responsibility for their own education through effective self- learning, working with others, setting relevant goals for themselves and the group as a whole, and demonstrating on ability of their learning achievements. The teacher assumes the role of a facilitator, coaches the group by monitoring the group process and helping the students to identity the knowledge that is needed to resolve the problem. This shift also means that the students’ role changes in terms of increased responsibility for active commitment in their studies and learning.
By: Mayla L. Constantino | T-III | Magsaysay National High School
