Preparing Problem Solvers for the 21st Century through Problem-Based Learning

roblem-based learning (PBL) is a constructivist teaching model that helps students learn to think and to solve problems-skills too frequently not acquired in traditional university course work. This approach is implemented widely in medical school education. It uses an authentic, complex problem as the impetus for learning and fosters the acquisition of both disciplinary knowledge and problem-solving skills. Professors introduce a confusing, open-ended problem, like those faced in the workplace and in everyday life, which leads students to an investigation from which subject matter content and instruction emerge. That approach contrasts with the usual teaching practice of presenting concepts in a lecture format followed by wellstructured problems. PBL, which engages students in developing a contextrich knowledge base and the skills for applying that knowledge, can be applied in a wide variety of classroom settings and fields. This article provides an overview of the PBL model, its application to college courses, specific examples of PBL currently used in several fields of study, and a brief description of a PBL cycle in an undergraduate educational psychology course.