Problem-Based Learning in a General Psychology Course

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) uses authentic problems as the context for learning disciplinary knowledge. In the process of investigation, students seek and learn content information and creatively formulate solutions. Proponents of PBL provide evidence that this technique allows opportunities to stimulate student involvement in ways that make the content material more relevant and promote learning on a deeper level than listening to information presented during a lecture. This approach, most widely used in medical education, emphasizes self-directed learning and practiced use of problem-solving skills, usually not acquired in traditional college coursework (Edens, 2000; Reynolds, 1997; Peters, Greenberger, Crowder, Block, & Moore, 2000).