Aprendizaje basado en problemas (ABP): una innovación didáctica para la enseñanza universitaria.

The conceptual and methodological elements as well as the judgements contained in this paper are the result mainly of a ten-year work experience with a didactic-curricular approach of PBL in the faculties of the area of health at the University of Antioquia. Reference to the concrete case of this university has been kept to a minimum, in order to search for the general aspects of the method, regarding their historical as well as methodological and operational range, and also their applicability in areas different than the area of health. At the beginning of the paper, some historical background of the method is presented, from its origins at the University of McMaster in Canada in the 70's to their trials at several Latin American and Colombian universities. After that, PBL is given a place within the strategy of learning-by-discovery and -construction, an active pedagogy widely applicable in present-day education. Next, the central, active role of "the problem" in the PBL methodology is discussed. Subsequently, the method's syntax or organizational sequence is presented, and four proposals on PBL, which operationalize the very basic structure of the method, are brought to matter. Fifth, the operational scheme is described, Then, the characteristics of a good tutor or conductor of the method and the academic-administrative obstacles faced by this innovative methodology at our universities and mentioned. To conclude, some findings of the research on PBL are mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]