Issue 3, September 2006

Welcome back, we hope you enjoyed the summerbreak and are looking forward to the academic year with renewedenthusiasm in continuing and strengthening your Problem-Based Learningenvironment. Many of you who attended our Getting Started with PBL workshop in May are implementing PBL for the first time, remember to keep in touch with each other and with usthrough the Moodle site. There are many practitioners out there who mayhave experienced or are experiencing the same situation you findyourself in. So keep that communication flowing.

Results of the Training Needs Analysis Survey -

The following are the areas where you the members have expressedthe most interest in the network organising further training on:

• Designing Problems & Scenarios for a PBL Environment.
• Assessment in PBL.
• PBL Tutor Training.
• The PBL Tutorial Process.

There is also interest in developing resources for scaffolding in PBL, these include:

• Information Literacy and
• Technology to Support PBL

Conference Reviews

A number of members attended conferences during the summerpresenting their PBL research both to the national and internationalcommunity.

Problem Based Learning in Speech Language Pathology Programmes - Clare O'Shaughnessy from NUI, Galway attend this conference in May2006. Clare joined the Speech and Language therapy team at NUI Galwayin November 2005. Previous to this position she worked as a SeniorSpeech and Language Therapist: within the HSE Mid Leinster area from1996 ? 2005. She received an MSc in Advanced Practice in Speech andLanguage Therapy, from the University of Ulster in 2004. Her researchinterests include learning disability, integrated care, team working inparticular the trans-disciplinary working model.

This was the first conference addressing the area of PBL in speech andlanguage therapy (SLT) programmes. The focus of the conference was onthe conceptual framework of PBL and sharing information on differentcourses, procedures and understanding terminology around PBL.The conference included plenary lectures, workshops and shortpresentations. There was a diverse international group of delegatesfrom Hong Kong, Australia, Ireland, Portugal and more. There was alsoactive student participation. Although the group was diverse and therewere a variety of ideas, there was a common focus of achievingexcellence and integration of curricula in speech therapy programmes.Delegates shared similar ideas and there was recognition that thecourses represented were at different levels from hybrid PBL to fullPBL courses. I found the participants to be open and the discussionsand workshops were productive.

Dr. Charlotte Silen, Linkoping University (chasi@imv.liu.se) providedthe theoretical framework for PBL: Pragmatism (Dewey), SocialConstructivism, Meaningful Learning (Marton, Ramsden) and CognitivePsychology. She discussed the question ?what makes people learn?? andstressed the importance of asking and answering this question whendesigning for learning not teaching. The dimensions of the teacher rolein PBL are facilitator, creation of learning experiences and design forlearning. We need to create challenges to create motivation for thestudent to have a desire to find out more information. Learning shouldbe fun and exciting. Dr. Silen highlighted that when students are askedto take responsibility for their learning the initial chaos leads tocosmoses. However if students are given order they cannot find theirown way. To design for learning we ask what do the students need tolearn? Why? How? Goals? Outcome? Learning activities include: basegroups, lectures, resource sessions, seminars, skills training andclinical practice.

TO THINK AND DESIGN FOR LEARNING

Professor Tara Whitehall, University of Hong Kong described the process of converting from a traditional SLT curriculumto a PBL curriculum, the development of this curriculum and the processof reviewing and reflecting and renewing the programme. Their concernswere:

• lack of integration between modules
• lack of integration between coursework and clinical practice
• lack of transfer of theory to practice
• Information explosion on SLT
• Belief in student- directed learning, active learning

They are now in their 8th year of their PBL programme with no lecturesand no modules. The programme is an integrated curriculum and a wholecurriculum approach e.g. one problem could include aphasia, counselingand developmental psychology. Per year, two tutorial groups are heldper week and one skills lab. There is shared responsibility among allacademic staff for the curriculum, a philosophy of reflection andexternal and internal source of feedback. A number of modificationshave been made following their reflection and review process to date.

1. Case managers. An academic member is responsible for updating problems and preparing written tutor guidelines
2. Master lectures (two per year to assist students to see bigger picture)
3. Orientation sessions to PBL for students
4. Reading forms.
   • Part A: summary of main points in own words
   • Part B: explain how reading relates to problem
   • Part C: any questions about reading
   • Students must complete form following their reading for each problem.
5. Advanced tutor training
6. Problem-rewriting
7. Concept maps

The department?s goal is excellence in professional education ofspeech and language therapists and they believe PBL is the bestpossible way to achieve this.

The International Conference PBL 2006 was attended by Deirdre Connolly from Trinity College Dublin. Deirdreis a lecturer in the School of Occupational Therapy,at TCD. She has been designing and tutoring Problem-based Learning forthe last eight years. Her current research focuses on the applicationof knowledge and skills acquired through Problem-based Learning inclinical practice.

The international conference in Peru was themed around connecting learning to the real world.It was a week long conference with two and a half days of workshopsfollowed by two and a half days of paper presentations. One of theworkshops I attended was facilitated by Dr. Annette Kolmos, EducationDeveloper at the University of Aalborg. Her workshop was centred aroundthe transformation to, and sustainability of, PBL. She advocatedresearch into the effectiveness of PBL as a method for supportingchange from traditional learning methods to PBL. She also believes thatin order to develop PBL, this research must focus on the philosophy andlearning principles of PBL rather than the logistics of implementingPBL. She outlined critical ingredients for sustaining PBL environmentsas vision, consensus, skills, incentives, resources and an action plan.Although she did not rank these components, Dr. Kolmos believes thatthe first place to start, when introducing PBL, is with a clearlyarticulated and shared action plan. This was a stimulating workshop forpeople at all stages of implementing PBL.As always, one of the most valuable aspects of attending thisconference was the opportunity to meet up with colleagues from previousconferences and also to establish new contacts in the PBL world. Thenext conference is rumoured to be in Mexico ? see you all there!

Our thanks to Clare and Deirdre for submitting these articles. If youhave attended a conference or know about interesting conferences comingup please let us know. Alternatively, if you would like to share yourPBL experience with the other members by writing a short article wewould be delighted to hear from you.

New PBL Journal Launched

A new journal called The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning (IJPBL) was launched earlier this year with its first issue in May. The journalwhich will be published quarterly, publishes relevant, interesting, andchallenging articles of research, analysis, or promising practicerelated to all aspects of implementing problem-based learning (PBL) inK?12 and post-secondary classrooms. The journal is available on-line