What Problem-Based Learning is.
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by working through a clinical problem, rather than by studying topics in isolation. It was introduced in medical education at McMaster University in the late 1960s and is now used in medical curricula in the UK and internationally.
Working from the case, the student sets out what is already known, what needs to be explained, and what they need to find out. They research those questions and then return to the problem to apply and check their reasoning.
PBL Coach applies this method in a one-to-one session led by an advisor with PBL teaching experience. The cycle alongside summarises the stages.
How the method works
- Present the problemThe student is given a clinical case.
- Set out explanationsIdentify possible causes and what is already known.
- Identify learning needsDecide what information is still required.
- ResearchFind and study the relevant material independently.
- Apply and reviewReturn to the case, reach a reasoned conclusion, and reflect.
Why it is used
Material is learned in relation to a case, which can support understanding and recall compared with studying facts in isolation.
Basic science and clinical knowledge are brought together around one problem rather than taught as separate subjects.
Students practise forming and testing explanations, which is the type of reasoning used in clinical work.
Students decide what they need to learn and find it themselves, a skill required throughout a medical career.
This is an introductory description for the first version of the site. It is intended to be reviewed and refined by PBL Coach's advisors.