Using Technology to Scaffold Problem-Based Learning in Teacher Education: Its Tensions and Implications for Educational Leaders

Problem-based learning (PBL), an application of the constructivist student-centered approach to learning is recognised as a viable pedagogy in initial teacher education. Proponents of PBL contended that the benefits of PBL included an early exposure to professional settings, heightened self-generated motivation arising from the obvious application of knowledge acquired and the acquisition of various learning skills, which assisted them in becoming lifelong learners. The twenty-first century is characterised by the accessibility of information, innovation-driven growth and rapid advancement in technologies. This chapter explores how technology can be harnessed to scaffold pre-service teachers’ PBL experience. In addition, from the perspectives of educational leaders, the tensions and implications of incorporating technology in PBL are discussed to obtain a more accurate picture of employing PBL as a pedagogical tool.