CC by Alexandra Wirth

1. How and where does collaboration take place in the PBL ?
2. Does it matter whether it takes place online or in class?

I have been involved with problem-based learning PBL for more than 20 years. On the one hand as a didactic concept, on the other hand as a method. I always combine PBL with the 7-jump method, which I will explain in more detail later. Here in ONL181 PBL is called in connection with the Fish document.

PBL is known as a didactic concept or method. The PBL originated at the Mc Master University in Canada. Barrows (1996) believed that physicians should see the whole problem of a patient and not individual aspects such as the disease. In addition, students should work in so-called tutorial groups in order to collaborate and learn in a cooperative and collaborative way. A further aim is to promote interdisciplinary competences such as communication and reflection skills. It has been introduced at the University of Maastricht not only in medicine, but in all health professions, lawyers and psychologists.

Problem tasks are described which are regarded as a learning stimulus. They are intended to stimulate students‘ curiosity and encourage them to solve the problem. In addition, the 7-step method is used. In tutorial groups of 6-12 students, they work together on a problem to be solved using the 7-step method.

7-step method

Step 1 – Clarifying unclear terms

Step 2 – Define the problem

Step 3 – Activate previous knowledge

Step 4 – The analysis

Step 5 – Formulate learning objectives and questions

Step 6 – Self-study to clarify the learning question

Step 7 – Collect and present results

I am particularly interested in how the steps of the Fishdokument (focus, investigate, share) can be transferred to the 7-steps and when and in which step collaborative learning takes place.

In a short overview I have listed the 7-Step and the Fish model parallel to each other and tried to add single aspects from our presentation (PBL Group 4) to collaborative learning. In which step does collaborative learning take place?

Fish Document	7-Step PBL	Collaborative Learning
Focus	Step 1 und 2	Groups works together Explore a significant question or create a meaningful project Shared responsibiltiy for the outcome Develop a common understanding and define a common problem Concentrate as a group
Investigate Share	Step 3, 4, 5, 6	Everyone offers his or her prior knowledge, exchange prior knowledge Work out and clarify ambiguities Interdependent tasks Purpose defindes by the group Group/Student centred People sharing ideas and working together
Share	Step 7	Knowledge Construction, co-creating knowledge and meaning, co-construction Expressiv results, new knowledge formed Share results

But what is better with the 7-jump than with the Fish document? At the beginning, the 7-jump gives a clear structure of what is important for the students when solving a problem.  In order to work together on a case or problem, a common understanding must first be created. This must be done again and again in the ongoing steps. The common path is determined by the jointly formulated question or focus. In the 7-jump it is clearly emphasized that the previous knowledge of each individual is important. It promotes the confrontation with other opinions, allows me to expand my own previous knowledge by new knowledge or the knowledge of others. If there are gaps, they can be formulated and worked on. This happens in steps 5 and 6. In accordance with the Fish document one invests time for the processing. At the end you collect the new knowledge and create a collaboratively created product.

If the students are more confident in the steps, then the fixed structure can be opened.

Finally: Both methods are well applicable in both online learning and classroom teaching. They both have common/synchronous but also asynchronous units. And both methods allow collaborative teaching online as well as in class.

 

Barrows, H.S. (1996). Problem-based learning in medicine and beyond: A brief overview. New Directions in Teaching and Learning in Higher Ed- ucation, 68, 3-12.

From https://www.teacherswithapps.com/the-differences-in-cooperative-learning-collaborative-learning. (Zugriff: 12.11.2018)

Inputs of the PBL Group 4 on the topic of collaboration