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Cooperative Learning |
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Problem-based learning can be especially effective when it involves cooperative learning. A collaborative approach brings different perspectives to light, develops valuable interpersonal skills, and prepares students for the teamwork they will encounter in the workplace.
Have students divide into groups. Visit each group and encourage brainstorming. Elicit ideas from each student and initiate discussion of them within the group. Demonstrate to the students the value of listening to all viewpoints and tell them that all ideas offer positive attributes that may be useful.
For instance, a student in a collaborative group may make a statement like:
"I don't care about the California coast environment, I don't live anywhere near there."
Another student might respond:
"I found that there is an important fisheries industry there that provides seafood to the whole world. "
Thus, a seemingly negative comment may provide inspiration for a new line of inquiry.
Lead students into dividing research responsibilities based on the individual interests expressed in group discussions. Hypotheses put forward by group members can be viewed and discussed from different perspectives. When they present their final solutions to their peers, the student groups, drawing from the collaborative PBL process, advance and defend their arguments.
Using cooperative learning in a PBL exercise, students reinforce each other's problem-solving skills, as well as develop interpersonal skills such as communication, conflict-resolution and leadership.
Visit the Teacher Resources for additional information on cooperative learning.
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Explanations for Reasoning |
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Encourage students to defend or explain their line of reasoning for any statement that they make relating to the problem. Here is one example of a possible discussion:
"It's easy to preserve the condor in the wild. Just release them and they'll survive on their own."
"What makes you say that?"
"Similar birds like vultures seem to be doing OK."
"Are condors really that similar to vultures? Something must be different, that vultures are surviving so easily and condors aren't."
This line of questioning forces students to explain their own thought processes and gain insight into those of other students. This encourages critical thinking, further discussion of information, and the revision/modification of hypotheses. If a student makes a generalization without sufficient evidence, as in the case above, the statement should not be automatically rejected -- instead, it can be promoted as a possible hypothesis, offering a new direction for inquiry and discussion. When students are prompted to explain their thought processes, they also become more skilled in oral and written presentations and in defending their ideas.
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Imperfect Problem |
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The problems you pose to students should be ill-structured, like those that we encounter in real-life situations -- problems that are "fuzzy" and don't suggest an immediate answer, but require reflection and further inquiry. Well-crafted problems should have more than one solution, and solutions may change as students gather and discuss new information. An example of an imperfect problem might be: "What is your advice on a plan to reintroduce timber wolves in Yellowstone National Park?" Here is one possible exchange:
"What about the ranchers around Yellowstone -- don't wolves attack cattle?"
"But wolves are a part of the ecological balance of Yellowstone."
"But wolf attacks hurt their business and the ranchers aren't going to go away."
Remind students to consider various perspectives in their research, hypotheses, and solutions throughout the process. Suggest to students that problems often involve a "clash of truths" that is difficult or impossible to resolve. Groups of students may have to "agree to disagree" on some solutions or reach a solution through compromise or consensus. Remind students that often the most valuable component of the problem-solving process is not the particular solution, but the process of creating and testing hypotheses and the dissemination of new information and ideas.
Visit the Teacher Resources section to learn about sites that provide sample PBL problems.
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Teacher as Coach |
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Be sure to monitor the performance of each student throughout the PBL exercise. Remember, though, that your role in the process is coach, facilitator, and even fellow learner, rather than disseminator of knowledge. In PBL, the students become active participants who drive the problem-solving activity to its culmination. As the teacher, you monitor the process, asking questions that challenge students' thinking, and elicit particular student viewpoints and talents that may be useful to the group. In general, you should leave decision-making to the students, who will provide the ultimate meaning for the process. It's your job to keep the process moving and to provide a timeline/deadlines for solving the problem, which is an important aspect of problem solving in everyday life.
This approach can ultimately help students gain confidence as they develop skills to help them approach the problems they will encounter in their lives and careers.
Visit the Teacher Resources section to find Web sites that discuss the role of the teacher in problem-based learning.
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Thirteen/WNET's Educational Publishing Department prepares educational kits to accompany
NATURE television programming. These guides are available in print and electronically,
as PDFs (Portable Document Format), through the Web.
Go to the Teacher's Guides
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