Issues in Modified Problem-Based Learning: A Study in Pre-Service Teacher Education.

This study examined issues that arose during the development and implementation of a modified form of traditional problem based learning (PBL) at one Canadian university. It explored PBL in the context of preservice education, investigating how it could be used to foster an inquiry based approach to preservice preparation and how preservice teachers perceived PBL as a means of learning. The study focused on a 3-credit-hour undergraduate education methods course, Advanced Studies in Science Education. PBL groups met over 12 weeks, addressing pedagogical problems that focused on some aspect of science teaching and learning. At the end of the course, each PBL group delivered a workshop based on a solution to the pedagogical problem. Participating students completed surveys and interviews about their experiences. Results suggested that using modified PBL with large groups was challenging because of the difficulty in ensuring that groups functioned effectively. However, it encouraged students to explore problems, examine their complexity, and find practical ways to address them in the context of the classroom. Students felt that they learned about science teaching in the workshops, though they believed the amount of learning depended on the quality of the workshop and the nature of the activities involved. (Contains 21 references.) (SM)