Toward effectiveness and authenticity in PBL: A proposal based on a virtual learning environment in computing education

Abstract

Problem‐Based Learning (PBL) has gained widespread approval as a constructive, student‐centered approach to teaching, and learning. Advocating the use of real‐life problems to initiate and motivate the learning process, PBL is an inductive strategy promoting the understanding of new concepts as well as the development of professional skills, abilities, and attitudes. Thus, it is paramount that teachers and students implement PBL in conformity to its core principles. However, such implementation becomes a challenge, considering that PBL is fundamentally different from traditional instruction methods. Without the appropriate pedagogical and technological support, PBL's quality, effectiveness, and authenticity are at risk. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, this paper presents the PBL‐Coach Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), built upon PBL learning theories. This paper describes in detail a scientific investigation on a practical PBL implementation, driven by the quest to achieve the following goals: (i) Scaffold teachers and students in implementing the PBL method; (ii) Investigate useful and usable technological resources in the PBL process; (iii) Maintain PBL core principles for an authentic and effective learning process. As a result, three case studies are described and one is detailed to validate our investigation, consisting of a real‐world setting with clients, teachers, tutors, and students. Each case study provided a good level of evidence that PBL‐Coach, used in a real‐world, authentic setting, can promote an effective learning process through a number of carefully designed technological resources. Encouraging results motivated to evolve PBL‐Coach through Augmented and Virtual Reality components as future works.

Towards Active Evidence-Based Learning in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review of PBL, PjBL, and CBL

“…Since its first implementation by these innovative universities, PBL has been gaining popularity in engineering education around the world, leading to a wide range of models and practices (e.g., PBL as a cycle [23,29], PBL as case or project [7,26,29,35,36] and, even the use of inconsistent terminologies regarding the methodology of PBL (e.g., problems vs. issues vs. challenges vs. situations)) [16,17,29,37,38]. However, the literature shows a set of common features which can be used to define PBL as an approach to learning, in which: (i) ill-open, real, and unstructured problems act as the driver, motivation, and framework for learning; (ii) problem identification and problem-solving serve as the vehicle to acquire knowledge and develop different types of skills, and consequently achieve (learning) goals; (iii) self-directed, team-based, and collaborative learning, where "social organizations [that] promote participation and result in a sense of agency" on students [17], (p. 3); (iv) teachers become facilitators and "scaffolders" of learning processes; (v) learning is exemplary, contextual, and experiential, as well as (vi) reflective, promoting continuous negotiation, a construction of knowledge, and self-assessment [3,17,39,40].…”

“…When designing problem-based learning, the emphasis must be put on analyzing behavioral objectives and assessing learner performance with criterion-referenced tests [27]. The authors in [40] mention the following six activities, which are prominently featured in the planning stage: I.…”

Conversations and Reflections on Authentic Assessment

“…It may be possible to use virtual learning tools, while including multiple layers of embedded feedback, to scaffold complex, real-world learning (Nelles et al, 2011). While studies on Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have been ongoing for about a decade, we are still on the cusp of learning how to design effective, authentic learning tasks in these environments, whether they involve virtual microscopes (Herodotou et al, 2018), self-directed anatomy and physiology learning (Weaver et al, 2020), or problem-based learning in engineering (Bessa et al, 2019). Grant Imagining SoTL, 1, 146-162.…”

A New Teaching Pattern and Evaluation System of Knowledge Point Puzzle in Massive Online Computer Courses

“…Regarding the above problems, this study has explored a new pedagogical method named PBL-VP, which combines the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) [3][4][5] and the visual programming Blockly [6][7][8]. The purpose of this paper is to explain the teaching process of the PBL-VP in detail through a classical example.…”