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Problem-Based Learning: Conception, Practice, and Future

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Authentic Problem Solving and Learning in the 21st Century

Part of the book series: Education Innovation Series ((EDIN))

Abstract

Originally conceived to respond to the failure of traditional lecture-based methods in preparing medical students readily for clinical practice, problem-based learning (PBL) has made an inerasable mark in the history of education. Instead of an instructor-centered, content-oriented, decontextualized teaching and learning mode, PBL uses a student-led, problem-driven, problem-solving, and contextualized learning approach to prepare students for real-world challenges. Forty years after its first implementation, PBL has been and continues to be deemed as an innovative instructional method that helps students develop practical problem-solving, self-directed learning, and collaboration skills. Today, PBL has been implemented throughout almost all disciplines and subjects in professional education, higher education, and K-12 education. This chapter provides an overview of the conceptual framework of PBL, its current research issues and instructional practices, and future directions. First, I will review the theoretical conception of PBL. Second, I will examine PBL models, instructional design, and practice issues, such as utilizing instructional strategies or cognitive tools for facilitating students’ learning in various steps and functions during the PBL process and problem/case design issues. Lastly, I will provide recommendations for future research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Teaching & Learning, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA

    Woei Hung

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  1. Woei Hung
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Correspondence to Woei Hung .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Young Hoan Cho

  2. Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Singapore

    Imelda S. Caleon

  3. Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Singapore

    Manu Kapur

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Hung, W. (2015). Problem-Based Learning: Conception, Practice, and Future. In: Cho, Y., Caleon, I., Kapur, M. (eds) Authentic Problem Solving and Learning in the 21st Century. Education Innovation Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-521-1_5

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