Problem Based

Learning
&
Thinking Based
Learning
 “The whole art of teaching is only the art
of awakening the national curiousity of
young minds for the purpose of satisfying
it afterwards .”

—FRANCE IN BARELL, 2003

A child learns best when
he/ she is active.
 INTRODUCTION
➢ Child- centered education stresses the need for
taking care of the child, his/ her growth and
development.

➢ It requires “individualization” of approach.

➢ The child is an agent in his/ her own learning. It

means that curriculum must be taught in terms of
activities and experiences which appeals most to the
child.
A learner needs Exposure to various experiences
 Explore
learn
make
judgements
Learning is an active process
New Knowledge
 Problem- based learning is a student-centered
approach in which students learn about a subject by
working in groups to solve an open-ended problem. This
problem is what drives the motivation and the learning.
 Why Use Problem-Based Learning?
Nilson (2010) lists the following learning outcomes that are associated with PBL. A well-designed PBL
project provides students with the opportunity to develop skills related to:
o Working in teams.
o Managing projects and holding leadership roles.
o Oral and written communication.
o Self-awareness and evaluation of group processes.
o Working independently.
o Critical thinking and analysis.
o Explaining concepts.
o Self-directed learning.
o Applying course content to real-world examples.
o Researching and information literacy.
o Problem solving across disciplines.
 Considerations for Using Problem-Based
Learning
Rather than teaching relevant material and subsequently having students apply the knowledge to solve
problems, the problem is presented first. PBL assignments can be short, or they can be more involved
and take a whole semester. PBL is often group-oriented, so it is beneficial to set aside classroom time to
prepare students to work in groups and to allow them to engage in their PBL project.

Students generally must:

o Examine and define the problem.
o Explore what they already know about underlying issues related to it.
o Determine what they need to learn and where they can acquire the information and tools necessary
to solve the problem.
o Evaluate possible ways to solve the problem.
o Solve the problem.
o Report on their findings.
 Getting Started with Problem-Based
Learning
o Articulate the learning outcomes of the project. What do you want students to know or be able to do
as a result of participating in the assignment?
o Create the problem. Ideally, this will be a real-world situation that resembles something students
may encounter in their future careers or lives. Cases are often the basis of PBL activities. Previously
developed PBL activities can be found online through the University of Delaware’s PBL Clearinghouse
of Activities.
o Establish ground rules at the beginning to prepare students to work effectively in groups.
o Introduce students to group processes and do some warm up exercises to allow them to practice
assessing both their own work and that of their peers.
o Consider having students take on different roles or divide up the work up amongst themselves.
Alternatively, the project might require students to assume various perspectives, such as those of
government officials, local business owners, etc.
o Establish how you will evaluate and assess the assignment. Consider making the self and peer
assessments a part of the assignment grade.
 Getting Started with Problem-Based
Learning
o Articulate the learning outcomes of the project. What do you want students to know or be able to do
as a result of participating in the assignment?
o Create the problem. Ideally, this will be a real-world situation that resembles something students
may encounter in their future careers or lives. Cases are often the basis of PBL activities. Previously
developed PBL activities can be found online through the University of Delaware’s PBL Clearinghouse
of Activities.
o Establish ground rules at the beginning to prepare students to work effectively in groups.
o Introduce students to group processes and do some warm up exercises to allow them to practice
assessing both their own work and that of their peers.
o Consider having students take on different roles or divide up the work up amongst themselves.
Alternatively, the project might require students to assume various perspectives, such as those of
government officials, local business owners, etc.
o Establish how you will evaluate and assess the assignment. Consider making the self and peer
assessments a part of the assignment grade.
 References
Nilson, L. B. (2010). Teaching at its best: A research-
based resource for college instructors (2nd ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Thinking- Based Learning
 The thinking-based learning is an educational model whose aim is to teach the
developing of skills such as reasoning or critical thinking. It is a methodology
focused on teaching how to think and decision-making. Thanks to this system,
learning based on memorization is relegated to the background and leads the
student to a more conscious and focused understanding.
It is a very versatile teaching method, as it can be applied to any subject and
even combine with other educational methodologies. This technique allows a
deeper and more significant understanding due to the assimilation and
implementation of the contents.
Teaching critical thinking is essential to be able to make good decisions not
only in the school environment but also outside of it. It is very important to
students to start cognitive tasks at an early age because it’s something they will put
into practice throughout their lives. The objective, therefore, is the development of
thought and reasoning for a greater autonomy when facing any challenge.
 The thinking-based learning is very popular nowadays due to the great contrast with
traditional learning. The way in which the information received is approached and studied is
completely different as this method helps to retain what has been learned in a more natural
way. The approach is different; it’s not about memorizing but about assimilating concepts to
develop knowledge. How can we, as teachers, put this methodology into practice with our
students? Keep reading to discover it:

• Ask them questions that force them to think and meditate

To encourage critical thinking, promote exercises that make the students think and
reason. They can be open questions that invite them to give their opinion or take a
position on a particular topic, for example. As well as dynamics in which they have to resolve
a conflict. In this type of interactive activities, they will be forced to argue, express and explain
their opinions.
• Organize debates and role-playing games
In a relaxed environment where a good atmosphere is created is where learning
truly occurs. Students will be comfortable to expose their ideas and intervene. Organizing
debates is very easy; you can choose a movie or a book worked in class. The objective is that
after analysing this information they are able to argue the position they have chosen. Another
example is role-playing games; presenting a fictitious situation and the role that each student
must take. This will boost their attention, creativity, communication skills and decision-
making.
• Promote autonomy in the study
Cheer active learning to leave passive one behind. Promote autonomous learning
where the student is the protagonist, not the teacher. The figure of the teacher is very
important and must accompany the students in the process of building their own knowledge.
When they have any question, explain without giving them the solution, make them think
with another question and give them the necessary tools to understand the content. An easy
example of how to put this into practice are the interactive worksheets.
• Encourage analysis
Promote the analysis, observation and comparison of texts. Read a story from
different angles to reach different conclusions. This will help students to contrast ideas and
think in depth. Acquiring knowledge by this way accustoms them to apply it in their adult life
as well. The thinking-based learning is a method that not only facilitates the understanding
and the assimilation of contents, but also teaches how to think. Consequently, reasoning,
communication and collaboration also come in hand with it. Skills that will be very useful to
them throughout their personal and professional careers.

Reference:
https://www.topworksheets.com/blog/en/the-thinking-based-learning-and-how-to-put-it-into-practice-
61ea8d81861ce