Hi Glenn Sounds good! For ...

Hi Glenn

Sounds good! For me barriers to developing effective problem based learning sit partially with the student, partially with the learning designer and partially with the culture of the university they are studying in...there's probably other factors but those are the first that spring to mind. I'm particulalry interested in how students approach problem based learning. Ok so most of us can recall a time in our professional and personal lives when we resolved or overcame a problem. When a successful outcome was achieved were we ever solely responsible for that and how did we go about resolving the problem, using what skills? I'm wondering whether as learning designers we focus our energy on the problem to be resolved. So we spend time on creating real or virtual problems and we develop high levels of understanding in our students around the tools and techniques available to them to resolve these problems. I'm wondering whether we start with skills and then say 'oh and by the way here's some tools you could use but you'll need those skills'.

For example, I've observed in organisations some really bad action learning sets being used in attempt to solve really complex problems, I've also observed some amazing action learning sets which have transformed behaviours and situations. Ok so what's the difference between 'good' and 'bad' action learning sets? I think it always comes down to skills. Are action learning set participants aware of the skills required and have they been given the opportunity to grow these?

So what skills do people use to solve problems?...my own personal top 5:

1) thinking beyond the immediate situation

2) questioning to gain insight and listening to empathise and understand

3) giving and receiving feedback (and I mean really receiving feedback!)

4) being action focused

5) being reflective and resilient

Anyway lots of stuff I'm wondering about PBL and interested to know how others are incorporating it into their sessions/assignments.