Essential readings in problem-based learning

"Like most good educational interventions, problem-based learning (PBL) did not grow out of theory, but out of a practical problem. Medical students were bored, dropping out, and unable to apply what they had learned in lectures to their practical experiences a couple of years later. Neurologist Howard S. Barrows reversed the sequence, presenting students with patient problems to solve in small groups and requiring them to seek relevant knowledge in an effort to solve those problems. Out of his work, PBL was born. The book is divided into four sections, each containing contributions by leaders in the field. Chapters in the first section focus on the structure of PBL and the critical elements of the approach. Articulating the underlying problems to be addressed, the role of facilitators, and the process to be followed in achieving a successful PBL intervention are all discussed. The second section explores how PBL has been adapted to function in areas outside medicine, from climate science to teacher education, while the third section explores how the methodology has been combined with other approaches to teaching and learning, such as learning by design and project-based learning. The fourth section assesses the impact of PBL techniques on improving both research and teaching. An epilogue speculates about the future of PBL, synthesizing contributions from the previous chapters and suggesting key themes for further exploration"--

Overview of problem-based learning : definitions and distinctions / John R. Savery -- All problems are not equal : implications for problem-based learning / David H. Jonassen and Woei Hung -- The learning space in problem-based learning / Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver -- Theoretical anchors for Barrows' PBL tutor guidelines / Kareen McCaughan -- Problem-based learning : goals for learning and strategies for facilitating / Cindy E. Hmelo-Silver and Howard S. Barrows -- Essentials for PBL implementation : fostering collaboration, transforming roles, and scaffolding learning / Peggy A. Ertmer and Krista D. Glazewski -- Blended learning and PBL : an interactional ethnographic approach to understanding knowledge construction in situ / Susan Bridges, Judith Green, Michael Botelho, and Peter CS Tsang -- Examination of content acquisition using problem-based learning in career and technical education courses at the middle school level / Kimberly Hodges -- The GlobalEd 2 simulations : promoting positive academic dispositions in middle school students in a Web-based PBL environment / Scott W. Brown, Kimberley A. Lawless, and Mark A. Boyer -- Building theory-practice nexus in pre-service physics tea…