How to Apply Problem-Based Learning in a Managed Way? A Case in Computing Education

The continuous advancement of Information Technology and the range of industries and services dependent on technology have required profound changes in the education of software professionals. In fact, the education of these professionals must include diverse skills (technical and non-technical), in order to enable them to solve real problems that impact the lives of companies and people. In this scenario, active learning approaches can make a lot of difference, when applied effectively, with well-defined educational goals and continuous follow-up and feedbacks. One of these approaches that are working well in Computer Education is the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach. PBL uses real problems as an instrument to develop skills such as holistic knowledge, business understanding, task management and group work, essential in the software professional. In this context, this paper describes a case of an undergraduate course in Information Systems, conducted in the PBL approach. In order to guarantee the application of PBL in an effective way, a Framework for PBL application in the teaching of Computing, described by Santos and Rodrigues (2016) was used. This framework systematizes the application of PBL in the four stages Plan, Do, Check and Act (based on the management cycle of Deming), which are repeated in learning cycles aligned to educational objectives. As the main results of this experience, the following stand out: a proposal for applying PBL in a managed way, based on a Framework for Computer Education; benefits of using the Framework; possibilities for improvements in this approach.