10 Examples of Problem-Based Learning

Human beings never stop learning. Both at school; As at home, with the family, or on the street, with friends and other acquaintances, we can nourish ourselves with new useful knowledge for our day to day.

Everyday situations provide knowledge, and this is taken into account by the approach of Problem Based Learning (ABP). This method aims to confront the student with real situations, investigate them and, through the use of critical judgment, learn autonomously and cooperatively.

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Examples of problem-based learning

The number of problem situations that can arise are endless. In this article we are going to see 10 cases of problem-based learning and some of the concepts that can be taught through them.

1. Economy: A family purchase

A low-income family wants to buy everything they need, but without spending more than they can afford.

Students may ask themselves several questions: what are staple foods? what are its properties? How to make the purchase as cheap as possible?

Based on these questions, they can investigate the nutrients in food and determine which are dispensable. Besides, This exercise leaves the option of doing field work, going to supermarkets and comparing the prices of the products..

This knowledge is useful since they learn what the basic foods are, in addition to being able to apply the new knowledge acquired and saving strategies in their day to day.

2. Biology: Insect plague

There is a plague of mosquitoes in a town, which affects tourism and harms the health of the inhabitants.

Some questions that students can ask themselves: how do mosquitoes reproduce? Are they from the area? Has there been torrential rain? stagnant water? What insecticides are usually used in the village?

From here they can draw up an action plan to reduce the number of insects as well as suggest how to teach the inhabitants to deal with the problem in the future.

3. Security: Evacuation of an institute

An institute has suffered a fire and the evacuation plan has been a disaster: the emergency doors were blocked, there was shoving and the students inspired a lot of smoke.

It is proposed to redraft the evacuation plan to prevent this from happening again. Students may wonder what went wrong last time, if the emergency signs were well placed, if the educational staff had clear papers in case of evacuation...

The same students can investigate the evacuation plan of their center. Find out where the emergency exits are and learn the safety signs. They can contact firefighters and police to explain what to do in an emergency and how not to act.

4. Chemistry: Heartburn

To understand concepts such as acidity/basicity, the example of heartburn is quite recurrent..

In the stomach there are acids that digest food, which are affected by the type of diet. Students can indicate when they have felt this pain, and what they had eaten when it happened.

They can learn about how antacids work, make a model of a stomach and add different foods to see how the acids react...

Based on this example, not only will you learn chemical concepts, but also about proper eating habits to avoid heartburn.

5. Physics: Flyswatter

Why is trying to kill a fly with your hand less effective than doing it with a fly swatter? This question can be posed to introduce the concept of aerodynamics.

Students can try to explain why this is in a practical way by making their own fly swatters and see how to make them as effective as possible.

Although it seems like a very simple example of problem-based learning, having to make a fly swatter is not homework. simple if the reason for its design is unknown, allowing students to experiment and be part of their own learning.

6. Psychology: Selection of personnel for a hospital

A new hospital has been built and new staff are being sought.. The idea is to screen new employees by administering batteries of questionnaires.

Students must investigate which are the most appropriate tests for the selection of health personnel. They must classify these questionnaires by themselves and determine which ones they should use for the assigned task.

By doing this, instead of having to memorize lists of questionnaires, students become part of their own learning, and carry out in-depth research that allows them to become familiar with different tools of assessment.

7. Math: Playing with triangles

Instead of teaching formulas for each type of triangle, primary school children can be familiarized with concepts such as area and perimeter by playing tangram.

Different figures are presented on the board and each child has a tangram game. The children have to imitate the figures.

Once they have learned the different types of triangles, mathematical concepts can be introduced. going to find triangular shapes from real life and forming groups to measure the sides of each triangle. Thus, students learn in a group and interactive way.

8. Mathematics: Calculating heights

Instead of teaching the classic and cumbersome trigonometric formulas, it can be proposed to go to the street and calculate the height of the buildings.

Students are separated into groups, and each of them must measure the shadow of the buildings and the degree of inclination. From this information you can calculate the heights, as well as relate the new learning with real life objects and relating it to concepts learned in previous courses: theorem of Pythagoras, inclination, distance...

9. Lack of water

In a town there are problems with drinking water. The tap usually brings air, and if it does bring water it doesn't come out with much pressure. There are those who suggest that it is because a farmer in the area has diverted the river to irrigate his crops, others suggest that it is due to lack of water and some because it is wasted.

Knowing the problem situation, students may wonder if the pipes are broken, if the water source is drying up...

You may also wonder if the diverted river is really the same source of drinking water, how the sources can be improved, what to do to increase the vegetation in the area.

10. Art history: film about Ancient Greece

A director wants to shoot a film about the Ancient Greece. Although the script is entirely made up, he wants the setting and traditions depicted to be as realistic as possible.

Students act like they are fine arts consultants. They must be documented about how the buildings were in classical times. Read the script and find out which would be the most suitable places to represent the scenes of the film.

Bibliographic references:

• Hmelo-Silver, Cindy. (2004). Problem-Based Learning: What and How Do Students Learn?. Educational Psychology Review. 16. 235-266.
• Ceker, E. and Ozdamli, F. (2016). Features and characteristics of problem based learning. * Cypriot Journal of Educational Science. 11(4), 195-202.