Umirzoko’va Maftuna

1. Problem stimulated PBL (PS PBL):

PS PBL uses relevant knowledge and information to solve problems.
These are used to emphasize the three basic goals:

1. 
   Development of domain specific skills.
   
2. 
   Development of problem solving skill.
   
3. 
   Interpretation of domain-specific knowledge
   

2. Student centered PBL (SC PBL):

SC PBL has the same factor as PS PBL, and it also adds one more factor; updating life-long skills. This factor is beneficial for people who have been teaching and practicing in a certain filed, for a long time.

Constantly updating their skill set is important. This applies to individuals such as doctors, engineers, and executive professionals.

3. Case-based PBL:

Determine what type of solution present, what should use to solve the given scenario and focus and stress on that topic to study.

Search for alternative methods and see how the scenario can solve more efficiently. This method also knows as learning by design.

PBL positions students in simulated real world working and professional contexts which involve policy, process, and ethical problems that will need to be understood and resolved to some outcome. By working through a combination of learning strategies to discover the nature of a problem, understanding the constraints and options to its resolution, defining the input variables, and understanding the viewpoints involved, students learn to negotiate the complex sociological nature of the problem and how competing resolutions may inform decision-making. A common criticism of PBL as student-centered learning is that students, as novices, cannot be expected to know what might be important for them to learn, especially in a subject to which they appear to have no prior exposure. But the experience of foreign language teachers proves that present-day learners are not the proverbial blank slates, but individuals whose prior learning can greatly impact their current learning. Often they have greater content and skill knowledge than teachers would expect. As their prior learning can both aid and hinder their attempts to learn new information, it is imperative that instructors have some sense of what intellectual currency the students bring with them. The context for learning in PBL is highly context-specific. It serves to teach content by presenting the students with a real-world challenge similar to one they might encounter were they a practitioner of the discipline. Teaching content through skills is one of the primary distinguishing features of PBL. More commonly, instructors introduce students to teacher determined content via lecture and texts. After a specific amount of content is presented, students are tested on their understanding in a variety of ways. PBL, in contrast, is more inductive: students learn the content as they try to address a problem. The “problems” in PBL are typically in the form of “cases”, narratives of complex, real-world challenges common to the discipline being studied. There is no right or wrong answer; rather, there are reasonable solutions based on application of knowledge and skills deemed necessary to address the issue. The “solution” therefore is partly dependent on the acquisition and comprehension of facts, but also based on the ability to think critically. Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, as well as to apply that information appropriate to a given context. It is both critical and creative in that synthesis, in particular, requires the learner to take what information is known, reassemble it with information not known, and to derive a new body of knowledge.

2.2 Advantages of Problem Based Learning

1. 
   PBL replaces the traditional lectures with assistive learning, facultative mentoring, discussions and on site experience. This promotes deep learning within the individual. Hence the students’ knowledge grows as more and more discussions are made.
   
2. 
   Direct teaching is reduced. This promotes students to take up their initiative in learning. This increases the feeling of motivation within the student. Hence, making the learning experience more interesting.
   
3. 
   Problem based learning requires prior knowledge for the completion of problems. Hence, constant updation and revision of basic knowledge are done. This keeps the student more firm in the basic foundation of the subject.
   
4. 
   Problem based thinking often stimulates critical thinking. The students try to think about the various aspects of the project rather than following what teach through lectures. The students pursue to think about how, where and why aspect of the problems introduced.
   
5. 
   Problem based learners tend to be more skilled and competent in collecting information than traditional learners. This is because traditional learners tend to only stick to books that prescribe in the curriculum and they do not try to explore various sources. On the other hand, problem based learners tend to be more practical and PBL encourages them to think outside the box.
   
6. 
   PBL relate to life based skills and practices, hence these skills can also transfer to individuals through proper training and practices. Therefore, such skills can act as an aid in real life situations like in corporate jobs or the medical field.
   
7. 
   The problems introduced in the PBL curriculum are all open-ended questions. This gives room for more discussions and understanding about the concepts and more data retrieval can be done. Moreover, such questions do not have a right or wrong answer. The most suitable and feasible answers take into consideration. Hence, there might also be a chance to have more than one answer to a question. This encourages individuals to study the facts more clearly.
   
8. 
   Another main factor of PBL is that it requires good communication skills. Pbl increases the social skills of the individuals as it involves the comparison of peer skills and also insightful discussions. There is no form of hierarchy, and all the individuals treat as same. This also makes the students develop their confrontational and persuasive skills.
   

3.1 Disadvantages of Problem Based Learning

1. 
   A good problem based learning design requires a large amount of time and work. It requires constant monitoring and noting down the student throughout the process. This is a bit time consuming in nature since most of the questions asked are usually open-ended and it takes time to collect materials and information about it.
   
2. 
   Not all teachers can be good advisors, for PBL they need dedicated, hardworking and trained facilitators. Moreover, good PBL trainers are satisfying to work with and are self – motivational for the students and fellow teachers.
   
3. 
   Problem based learning requires more staff and more contact hours for preparation, discussion and comparison of answers. Students and the advisors supposed to do timely and seasonable meetings once in a while.
   
4. 
   It’s a known fact that PBL doesn’t provide that many facts when compared with the traditional method, so many of the teachers hesitant to take up this form of teaching. PBL is more suitable for subjects that do not require much prior knowledge about the subject. For example, for teaching literature or for using PBL in arts facilities.
   
5. 
   For the PBL curriculum to be effective, it requires multiple disciplines to integrate, so that the students can get different aspects of a situation. Hence, proper research and excessive amounts of an organization required. This makes it more time consumable and is not suitable for fast pace courses. The course also needs to validate before presenting it before the students.
   
6. 
   Assessing a certain student within a team is always tough for the coordinator. They have to consider different aspects such as the output obtained as a whole for the team, the level of enthusiasm shown by each individual, the activeness shown by a certain student. A clear assessment criterion or a standard for marking students in a group is always important.
   
7. 
   PBL is also difficult for the institution because they have to change the course depending upon the lecturer. Since the whole PBL curriculum is an image of their ideals and how they should train the students.
   
8. 
   More and more coordinators required to assess and guide students along the way and also they need people to create as many difficult situations as possible.
   

However, while content changes (especially in a rapidly changing technological world), the ability to problem-solve needs to be more portable. No one set of skills will suffice for all time, either; but the ability to generate problem-solving strategies is the “long-term” skill. Information transferability is limited by the information available; how to find and create information is limited only by the learner’s willingness to participate. PBL, by having students demonstrate for themselves their capabilities, can increase students’ motivation to tackle problems. PPB gives participants a chance to think as a practitioner. How might specialists from different fields work together on a problem, a question more germane as disciplines become ever more inter-disciplinary? It is also a question of great concern to employers. divide PBL process into 5 phases: 1) introducing the concept; 2) announcing the problem; 3) grouping and surveying; 4) monitoring and coaching; 5) assessing the performance. Teachers act as facilitators and cognitive coaches. In each and every phase, the roles and responsibilities of Facilitator and students can be defined. The following explains the PBL process and what is expected from Facilitator and students. Introducing the concept Facilitator enlightens the students with the basic concepts of PBL and enables the students to appreciate the advantages of using PBL Technique. Students are to overcome the barriers of switching over from conventional learning to PBL and to understand the concept thoroughly by having free interaction with tutor and peers. Announcing the problem or Trigger Facilitator introduces the topic in the form of a trigger, elicits information related to the problem from students and provides elementary sources pertaining to the problem. Students are to understand the trigger or problem and to be mentally ready to meet the problem confidently. While grouping and surveying Facilitator divides the students into groups by adopting strategies, provides access to resources such as Books, Internet, Journals, Magazines, etc., extends conducive environment for learning to take place. Students are to develop a rapport with fellow group members, to explore knowns and unknowns, to investigate the problem into its minute details. While monitoring and coaching Facilitator monitors the progress of students and provide support as and when needed trying to avoid controlling and directing their efforts in solving the problem and provides constructive feedback during the activity. Students are to have healthy and constructive discussion among peers to generate possible solutions to the problem. Assessing the performance Facilitator provides students with opportunities to share their findings, extends follow-up activities, assesses the performance of students and gives feedback. Students are to present the findings in the form of presentation, to assess the performance of facilitator and to assess the performance of self and peer. In a PBL setting, teachers need to decenter their roles as the source of knowledge by consciously refraining from giving only right-wrong answers and helping students observe how other resources can teach them about effective language use. Acting as facilitators and cognitive coaches, teachers need to ask questions such as: Why? What do you mean? and How do you know that is true? instead of content-laden questions. The purpose is to challenge the students' reasoning and to help them consider carefully each step they take in their inquiry. By asking such questions, facilitators also model critical thinking, with the purpose of stepping back and letting students begin to ask themselves and their peers those same types of questions. As facilitators, teachers also design problems and provide critical resources needed for the inquiry process. Characterizing problems appropriate for PBL Barbara Duch singled out the following factors that are essential for good problems (or cases). An effective problem must first engage students' interest, and motivate them to probe for deeper understanding of the concepts being introduced. It should relate the subject to the real world. Good problems require students to make decisions based on facts, information, logic and/or rationalization. Students should be required to justify all decisions and reasoning based on the principles being learned. Problems should require students to define what assumptions are needed (and why), what information is relevant, and/or what steps or procedures are required in order to solve them. Cooperation from all members of the student group should be necessary in order to effectively work through a good problem. The initial questions in the problem should have one or more of the following characteristics so that all students in the groups are initially drawn into a discussion of the topic: open-ended, not limited to one correct answer; connected to previously learned knowledge; controversial issues that will elicit diverse opinions. This strategy keeps the students functioning as a group, drawing on each other's knowledge and ideas, rather than encouraging them to work individually at the outset of the problem. The content objectives of the course should be incorporated into the problems, connecting previous knowledge to new concepts, and connecting new knowledge to concepts in other courses and disciplines. Problem-based Learning is an approach to structuring the curriculum which involves confronting students with problems from practice which provide a stimulus for learning. Successful implementation of PBL does not come easily. In this process, the strengths and skills of facilitators, their ability to model process skills will be tested. They should have enough knowledge to overcome complex difficulties and need the ability to explore options and generate solutions to cooperative contexts. Commitment, determination and team work are sought from the people involved in the process. A pragmatic and realistic approach together with institutional support could be of great importance as well. Under such conditions PBL has been found and proved to be a successful method of learning.

3.2 Useful tools in the implementation of the problems based learning

Collaborative tools

The first, and possibly most crucial phase in PBL, is to identify the problem. Before learners can begin to solve a problem, all members must understand and agree on the details of the problem. This consensus forms through collaboration and discussion. With online learning on the rise, it is important that learners can engage in collaborative brainstorming and research through the use of technology. Technology allows for groups to collaborate synchronously or asynchronously from anywhere in the world; schedules and geography no longer prevent collaboration in PBL. Today, there is a plethora of tools available to promote group collaboration online, each with unique strengths and limitations. Learning management systems and cloud-based solutions are the two most popular and accessible technological solution for online collaboration. Learning management systems, such as Canvas, Edmodo, Moodle, Schoology, and itslearning, provide schools and classrooms collaborative tools to support synchronous and asynchronous communication and learning.

The learning management systems (LMS) allow for supervision and support by the course administrator or professor. One limitation of these systems is their availability; most LMS are restricted by course enrollment. Students must be enrolled in a particular course or subscribe to a specific class to gain access to the tools and content stored in the system. Cloud-based solutions on the other hand, such as Google Apps, OneNote, and the Office 365 suit offer collaborative tools outside the traditional education setting. Educators of all kinds (K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, vocational training, HR training teams, etc.) can access these cloud-based solutions and collaborate with anyone around the world by simply sharing a link. These tools range in availability from free with an email account to subscription costs based on the suit purchased. In addition to potential financial limitations, these cloud-based systems are always as secure or private as an LMS that requires course enrollment. Both LMS and cloud-based solutions present learners with opportunities to collaborate in a variety of ways while brainstorming the meaning of the problem and developing a plan for research and future collaboration.

Research tools

Once the problem has been identified, learners move into the second step of PBL: the information gathering phase. In this phase, learners research the problem by gathering background information and researching potential solutions. This information is shared with the learning team and used to generate potential solutions, each with supporting evidence. The most popular online tool for gathering information today is Google, but there are many other search-engines available online. Free search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing, offer access to seemingly countless links to information. While these research tools provide ample sources of potential information, the quantity can be overwhelming. It also becomes difficult to identify quality sources without adding filters and higher-level search strategies when using these broad search-engines. Libraries are a more selective option and often offer online-databases, but typically require an account or subscription for online access to articles and books. Wolframalpha.com is a smart search-engine with both free and subscription level access options. Wolfram claims to be more than a platform for searching the web, rather, "getting knowledge and answers... by doing dynamic computations based on a vast collection of built-in data, algorithms, and methods."

Presentation tools

The third most important phase of PBL is resolving the problem, the critical task is presenting and defending your solution to the given problem. Students need to be able to state the problem clearly, describe the process of problem-solving considering different options to overcome difficulties, support the solution using relevant information and data analysis. Being able to communicate and present the solution clearly is the key to the success of this phase as it directly affects the learning outcomes. With the help of technology, presentation has been made much easier and more effective as it can incorporate visual aids of charts, pictures, videos, animations, simulations etc. Ideas and connections between ideas can be clearly demonstrated using different tools. Microsoft PowerPoint 2016, Apple Keynote, Prezi, and Google Slides are among the top-rated presentation applications of 2017.

These popular presentation tools have their distinctive features and advantages over one another and can be summarized into three broad types. The first type has almost everything a presenter needs, ranging from tables, charts, picture tools, animations, video tools, add in functions and so forth. Such tools can replace many authoring tools as more complicated functions such as creating simulations, drag and drop etc. are all made possible. Hence, the presentation can be made highly interactive, engaging and compatible with most devices. The best examples are Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynote However, one drawback is that such tools often come at a subscription charge and need to be installed locally on devices. Both PowerPoint and Keynote point more towards the standard form of slide by slide presentations. Prezi represents the second major type of tools with a storytelling style and less traditional or structured form of presentation that allows one to zoom in and out of any part of the screen. These tools are generally web-based and have collaborative functions of value-add for the PBL process. Nevertheless, this type of tools also charge subscription fees based on privilege levels. The third broad type of tools would be the web-based ones free of charge with less fanciful effects, allowing access to presentations collaboratively online anytime. Google Slides is such an option which is easy to use. Though it has less functions, it offers the convenience of being available anytime anywhere on any online device.

CONCLUSION

Problem based learning is also an essential way of teaching because it prepares the students on how to be ready to face the outside world and how to be an effective and valuable member of society. This also encourages others – the public to also be a part of the experience. Students are not necessarily asked to create new knowledge; instead, they are asked to create something that is at least new to them. The instructor or facilitator is not passive during student learning. The most common instructor role is to question the students about their learning process by asking such questions as: “How do you know that?” “What assumptions might you be making?” These questions are meant to get students to become self-reflective about their learning processes, thus another primary feature of PBL is that it is process-centered more so than product-centered. This may seem contradictory as “solving” the problem is an important and critical aspect of PBL.

It is generally believed that there is a myriad of approaches through which the learning process can be best achieved. Hence, it would be wrong to say that the problem based learning method is the most productive. There are several factors that need to be taken into account in deciding which way is the best on teaching. The PBL is highly recommended for adult learners whose critical and logical thinking abilities are high enough to comprehend the issue given in the learning process.

Overall, it would be definitely justifiable to say that the procedure of studying is a very delicate matter in which one cannot surely say if it is the right approach or vice versa.

The studies reviewed above suggest that PBL is an effective teaching and learning approach, particularly when it is evaluated for long-term knowledge retention and applications. One gap in earlier studies on the effectiveness of PBL is that the studies tended to focus on medical education. However, there are now increasing number of experimental studies in other disciplines that provide evidence of the superior performance of students learning in PBL conditions as opposed to lecture conditions. In terms of which phases or components of the PBL process influence students’ learning, causal models suggest that the PBL process, as described by the PBL literature, that begins with problem analysis, followed by self-directed learning and a subsequent reporting phase, is important to predict students’ learning, and that having only the collaborative component or the self-directed learning component is insufficient.⁴⁰ However, another study suggests that student engagement with the problem is sufficient to enhance students’ learning gains over the traditional approach and the collaborative component did not make a significant difference to student learning.⁴¹ More rigorous controlled experimental studies therefore need to be carried out to further uncover the mechanisms behind how PBL works.

GLOSSARY

1. 
   Agile learning
   

Being able to setup individual learning paths for people, ie everyone gets only what they need or, sometimes, it refers to the development of the learning in an agile way.

2. 
   Asynchronous learning
   

People being able to learn at different times – like e-learning, you log in whenever convenient and begin learning.

3. 
   Accessibility
   

Enabling people of all abilities to access the learning equally. Being awarded the W3C standard shows that you're supporting the Web Accessibility Initiative in this aim.

4. 
   Apps
   

Short for 'application', an app is a piece of software that helps the user perform an action or job better, and even learn and complete training on a tablet or smartphone.

5. 
   Accreditation
   

Recognition that a learning provider has met a high standard of quality in a specific subject or topic.

6. 
   Classroom learning
   

Just like being back at school – everyone gets together in the same room to be taught.

7. 
   Crowdsourcing
   

Collaboration between a group of people or community, through an open call or skype session.

8. 
   Cloud
   

Also known as “The Cloud”, this refers to storing information on the Internet as opposed to locally on your own computer.

9. 
   Content Management System (CMS)
   

A computer application that enables the users to publish, edit and modify content, as well as organizing and deleting all from a central interface. CMS enables the management of workflow in a collaborative environment.

10. 
    E-learning
    

Electronic learning, typically completed using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

11. 
    E-book
    

A digital book.

12. 
    Differentiated learning
    

Modifying the way you teach someone to suit their learning style. So, in a classroom, this would involve teaching in a way that supported varying needs.

13. 
    Distance learning
    

A way of learning or training without being in the same room as the teacher or trainer - so without the face-to-face interaction. This can be achieved in many different ways including online learning and webinars. Distance learning is usually managed by the individual, and can be completed at their own pace.

14. 
    Kinaesthetic learning
    

A learning style in which learning takes place by the students carrying out physical activities, rather than listening to a lecture or watching demonstrations.

15. 
    Mobile learning (m-learning)
    

Focusing on the mobility of the user, M-learning allows users to learn and complete training courses using handheld computers, note-books, mobile phones and tablets. The convenience of m-learning is that it’s accessible from almost anywhere.

16. 
    Online learning
    

The alternative term to e-learning – means pretty much the same thing.

17. 
    Outcomes
    

What people need to know or need to be doing differently by the time they’ve finished their learning.

18. 
    Synchronous learning
    

Synchronous learning refers to a learning event in which a group of students are engaging in learning at the same time. Watching a live web stream of a class whilst taking part in a discussion is an example of this style of learning.

19. 
    Social learning
    

Based on the idea that students benefit by studying together, it encourages the use of social platforms to achieve a common goal.

20. 
    User interface
    

The parts of the learning/system that you’ll see.

21. 
    Virtual classroom
    

This is the online equivalent of a traditional: using your computer, you all gather in a 'classroom' with your teacher. With the classroom being online, everyone can be in different physical locations be still be together in the classroom.

22. 
    Wiki
    

A source of knowledge (like a modern day encyclopaedia) where you can search and add information to the pages. The collaboration of knowledge is great but the accuracy is not always guaranteed. The best known wiki is Wikipedia.

23. 
    Webinar
    

Web Conferencing between two or more people that allows attendees to interact and share information, documents and applications. Webinars are perfect for remote tutorials or classes.

24. 
    Accessibility
    

A characteristic of Website design. Accessible sites can be navigated and understood by people with disabilities.

25. 
    Assessment
    

The process used to systematically evaluate a learner's skill or knowledge level. Assessment item: A question or measurable activity used to determine if the learner has mastered a learning objective. Band: A range of frequencies between defined upper and lower limits. Bandwidth: Information carrying capacity of a communication channel.

26. 
    Classroom training
    

See instructor-led training.

27. 
    Competency management
    

A system used to identify skills, knowledge, and performance within an organization. Enables an organization to spot gaps and introduce training, compensation, and recruiting programs based on current or future needs.

28. 
    Base
    

use (something specified) as the foundation or starting point for something.

29. 
    Kinaesthetic
    

relating to a person's awareness of the position and movement of the parts of the body by means of sensory organs (proprioceptors) in the muscles and joints.

30. 
    Visual
    

relating to seeing or sight.

REFERENCES:

1. 
   Barbara Duch, Problems: A Key Factor in PBL, Copyright Sue Groh, Univ. of Delaware, 2017.
   
2. 
   URL: http://www.udel.edu/pbl/curric/chem103-prob.html Karthikeyan, R. Venkatraj, Ph.D. and G. Baskaran, Ph.D. Using Problem Based Learning Technique in Teaching English Grammar. // Language in India. Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow. Volume 9 : 10, October, 2016, p.12-18.
   
3. 
   Juan Shi, Communication in a Problem Based Learning Environment: Supporting the Teaching Team in the School of Electrical Engineering, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. 2018.
   
4. 
   Mehdi Haseli Songhori, Two Models Compared: Problem-Based Learning and Task-Based Learning. // English for Specific Purposes, World Online Journal for Teachers, URL: http://esp-world.info
   
5. 
   Evenson, D. H., & Hmelo, C. E. (Eds.). (2020). Problem-based learning: A research perspective on learning interactions. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
   

6. 
   Boud, D., & Feletti, G. (2017). Changing problem-based learning [Introduction]. In D. Boud & G.Feletti (Eds.), The challenge of problem-based learning (2nd ed). London: Kogan Page.
   

7. 
   Barrows, H. S., & Tamblyn, R. M. (2020). Problem-based learning: An approach to medical education.New York: Springer.
   

8. 
   Barrows, H. S. (2016). Problem-based learning in medicine and beyond. In L. Wilkerson & W. H.Gijselaers (Eds.), New directions for teaching and learning: Vol. 68. Bringing
   

9. 
   Boud, D. (2019). Problem-based learning in perspective. In D. Boud (Ed.), Problem based learning in education for the professions ,. Sydney: Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australia