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Project Organised Problem Based Learning (POPBL)

What is a Problem Based Project?Introduction to course

Lecturer: Lars Peter Jensen

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Today’s Programme

• Presentation of the POPBL course

• Mm 1: Introduction to the study form

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The POPBL courseObjective: Students who complete the module will

have:

Knowledge about• Fundamental learning theories and styles • Different approaches to problem based learning

including the Aalborg University model• Group processes and effective organisation of small

groups• Acquiring and sharing of knowledge• Intercultural competences • Scientific documentation and academic honesty

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The POPBL courseObjective: Students who complete the module will

have:

Skills to• Plan and manage a project within a fixed time

schedule• Reflect on group collaboration and ways to improve it• Reflect on personal contribution to project work and

learning • Prepare, present and discuss scientific documentation

using correct terminology• Maintain efficient communication within project

groups and to supervisor(s)

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The POPBL courseObjective: Students who complete the module will

have:

Competencies to• Evaluate personal learning and collaboration with

peers and supervisors• Apply project organized problem based learning in

professional contexts

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The POPBL course content

The contents include among others issues:• Problem based learning • Planning/controlling project work • Group work • Conflict handling• Communication• Presentation• Learning• Intercultural competencies• Experience with project work in small scale (short time)

Duration: 1 ECTS, i.e. 5 mini-modules in the beginning of the semester

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Foundation for the POPBL course

• Theoretical: Theories of learning, organisations and communication

• Practical: More than 35 years of experience with the ’AAU-model’

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Information about the course

• POPBL at SICT Moodle homepage: http://sict.moodle.aau.dk/ – Handouts– Literature

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Subject Topics

1 What is a problem-based project?  Course introduction

2 Learning in a new culture and Learning in an intercultural context

3 Project Management  and scientific writing

4 Learning strategies – individual and Team skills

5 Communication and group dynamics

Problem Based and Project Based Learning

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Mm 1: Introduction to the study form

Content:

1) PBL and the ’Aalborg-model’2) About the project3) During the lectures there will be small

exercises, questions and a large exercise

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Please think of one of the things that you are good at, write three words in the post-it describing how you learned it well

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Backgrounds of PBL in engineering

Teach me… and I will forget ?

Tell me and I will forgetShow me and I will remember

Involve me and I will understand

Step back and I will act

Student centered learning

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Chinese proverb

PBL extension

Carl Rogers on teaching at Harvard in 1951

• I have come to feel that the only learning which significantly influences behavior is self-discovered, self-appropriated learning.

• It seems to me that anything that can be taught to another is relatively inconsequential, and has little or no significant influence on behavior.

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Scientific knowledge

Technical competencies

Process competencies • Project management• Communication• Teamwork • Organization

Diversity of engineering competencies

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Globalized context

What kinds of engineers are expected for the future?

Diverse capabilities

Lifelong learning

Project management

Social, environmental, and

ethical concerns

Effective communication

Intercultural competencies

Designing and conducting

experiments

- National Academy of Engineering, The Engineer of 2020, 2004- EUR-ACE (Accreditation of European Engineering Programmes and Graduates, http://www.feani.org/EUR_ACE/EUR_ACE_Main_Page.htm - ABET: http://www.abet.org/

 

Identity and solve applied science

problems

Team work

Application of mathematics and

science knowledge

Analytical skills

Interdisciplinary knowledge

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Key competenciesScope and specific aims

Methods and skills

Student’s own

interest

Deeperlearningthrough projectwork

Changing traditional teaching and learning

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PBL as an example of PBL as an example of student-centered teaching and learning student-centered teaching and learning modelmodel

What is problem-based learning?What is problem-based learning?

A learning method based on the A learning method based on the principle of using problems as a principle of using problems as a starting point for the acquisition starting point for the acquisition and integration of new knowledge. and integration of new knowledge.

- H.S. Barrows 1980- H.S. Barrows 1980

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Pioneers • McMaster 1968• Maastricht 1972• Linköping 1972• Roskilde 1972• Aalborg 1974

Different practices • Single courses• Problem & project organized• Individual project • Team work

Where and how are PBL practiced?

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New study environment at AAU

PBL Learning PrinciplesSocial Participant directedTeam based learning

ContentTheory-practice relationInterdisciplinary learning Exemplary learningMeta-learning/ Double loop

learning

LearningProblem basedProject based / organisedContextual learningActivity/experience based

learning

http://www.in.lcms.org/NewsLetters/EEE/classroom.jpg

http://big10x.com/commerce/catalog/images/construction1.gif 23

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• Problems – question – wondering within a frame

• a project each semester (1. year)

• each group has a group room

• group size of 6-8 students first year, 2-3 students the last year

• each group has at least one supervisor

• self selected group and projects within themes and disciplines

• group presentation followed by individual examination

Lectures8:15-10:00

Lecture-relatedAssignment 10:15-12:00

Supervision -initiated & arranged

by studentsDoing project

In groups

PBL Aalborg Model - practice

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What is a supervisor?

• A person who through facilitating questions encourages your learning process

• A person who points out the potentials in your work

• A person who gives loyal and constructive critic of your work

• A person who at the project exam is one of the examinors

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What is a supervisor NOT?

• Not a teacher who is responsible for your learning process

• Not a person who tells you what to do• Not a person who decides what should

be the content of your project• Not a member of your project group• Not an inexhaustible resource –

therefore: Use your supervisor hours carefully

4 types of facilitationMake an

index to the report as soon as possible

Control facilitation

Product facilitation

http://www.perskycpa.com/Accountant.jpg

How are things in the group?

Well everything seem to be working fine

– so …..

Laissez-faire

facilitation

Process facilitation

Can you please

go to the blackboard and…

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project project supervisionsupervision

““supervisor ” supervisor ”

““Students”Students”

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Communication maps during a project

• Beginning of the project

• Progressing in the project

Observer

Supervisor

Sara

Tine Mike

Michael

ArthurObserver

Supervisor

Sara

Tine

Michael

Mike

Arthur

Project work

The New Aalborg Model

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50%courses

50%project

Course

5 ECTS

Project 15 ECTS

In groups up to 8 personsIndividual assessmentSelf-selected groups

Appointed supervisor(s)

One semester

1 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) = 30 working hours

Course

5 ECTS

Course

5 ECTS

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The Aalborg-model – the study form

The key words are:

• Problems• Project• Team work

Let’s take the last first!

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Team work – WHAT?

• 6 - 8 students co-operating on the same project (at later semesters 1 - 3 students per group)

• They have to carry out the project and document the results

• An oral group presentation is the starting point for en individual exam based on the documentation, held at the end of the project period. Individual marks are given.

 

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Team work – WHY?

• A survey carried out in 1997 showed that 75 % of companies wanted new employees to have good skills in group work.

• The individual student in the group learns from the others (Peer Learning)

• Responsibility towards the group makes the individual student work hard

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AAU students on team work

• ”I think that it becomes easier when you learn technical matters in groups. Normally we use the blackboard to discuss things. … You gain more from the time you have to spend in the university in this kind of education when you work in teams. We are getting energy in this way.”

• ”Working in groups we get mental support from each other; it is also a responsibility so that we won’t drop out easily.”

(Xiangyun Du 2005)

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Team work – HOW?

• Students are in charge of forming their own groups

• Project groups choose their own project

It is important to be aware of different roles in the group and to learn how to use strengths in a constructive

way while improving on weaknesses

A Contract of Cooperation (CoC) is a useful tool in making mutual expectations explicit.

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Group contract – an example

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BREAK 15 minuts

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Group meeting

Subgroup work

Discussion

Disagreement

Presentation

Compromise

Exam Report writingLife

Social activities

Studying engineering via group projects

Brainstorm Multiple learning resources

Participating communities of practice – active learning, communication, organization, and management

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Diversity of group situation

Diversity of group situation

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If you feel confused, don’t worry. You are not the only one…You will have more opportunities to figure out…

Project – WHAT?

•A unique and complex task TEAMWORK•A creative and iterative process•Time limited•Goal oriented•Documented result

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Project – WHY?

• A survey carried out in 1997 showed that 75 % of companies wanted new employees to have good skills in project work.

• Working with realistic projects is motivating for students.

• It increases student activity and thereby increases the learning.

• Develops transferable skills, incl. project management, documentation etc.

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Project – HOW?

 • The project is supported by courses• Students have to look for relevant

information beyond the courses

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Project – HOW? Timing of a semester

Courses

Project

Weekly time

Project time

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…..a week in December

…..a week in November

…..a week in September  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayMorning Course Course Course Course CourseAfternoon Course Project Other Project Project

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayMorning Course Project Course Course ProjectAfternoon Course Project Other Project Project

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayMorning Project Course Project Course Project Afternoon Project Project Other Project Project

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The four phase model of a Project

Analysis

Design

Implementation

Test

Industriel Project

StudentProjecttoo broad

Student Projecttoo narrow

The idealStudent Project

Problems - WHAT?

• It can be theoretical, practical, social, technical, symbolic-cultural or scientific

• It grows out of students’ wondering within different disciplines and professional environments

• It is the starting point directing the students’ learning process and situates the learning in a context

• It may involve an interdisciplinary approach in both the analysis and solving phase

• It has to be exemplary48

Different kinds of Problems

An Unsatisfactory Situation– E.g. an increasing

number of danish kids are getting fat

An Un-Utilized Potential

-The homepage of AAU is old fashioned

Unknown Impacts- We want to investigate if and how IT and new technology can be used to improve kids habits towards doing regular exercising

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Problems – WHY?

• ‘Real life’ problems are interdisciplinary and complex

• Working with ‘real life’ problems meets the learners' interests and enhances motivation

• It emphasizes development of transferable skills, i.e. analytical, problem solving and information processing skills

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AAU students on problems• ”We are engineers – our responsibility is to solve real

technological problems.”• ”This is the first time we found a real problem

ourselves rather than getting something from supervisors. It is really exciting. It fits my way of learning. I learn better when I find the way myself. This way of learning is much better than only attending lectures, because I have to know why I need to learn this. When I know the objective clearly, I learn much better.”

• ”When working on a problem, I am strongly motivated and attracted. We need to solve this problem.”Xiangyun Du, 2005

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Problems - HOW?

 You are working problem oriented when you

– Ask questions – Point out contradictions– Scrutinize sources of information– Wonder upon given information– Observe the lack of information– Problematise the obvious

Strategies for problem analysis •An unsatisfactory Situation– Bottom-up analysis – from practise to technology– WHO and WHY questions are dominating

An Un-Utilized Potential– Top down analysis – from technology to practise– WHAT-IF questions are dominating

•Unknown Impacts•Theoretical analysis – from technology and within• WHAT questions are dominating

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Group exercise

What are the most important things to make group work function well in the process of managing the project work?

• Please write down your opinions in the post-it – one point on each post-it

• Share within your group• Categorize and organize them into 5 levels by priority

in the poster• A poster presentation

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About the project

1. Problem analysis2. Documentation

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Problem analysis – WHAT?

• Looking at the problem from different perspectives/angles

• Dividing into different aspects/elements• Examining all the aspects/elements one

by one

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Problem analysis - WHY?

Me My wife

Water

What to do to get to my wife?

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Problem analysis – HOW?

1) Post It brain storm • 1) All group members write key words on PostIt

stickers and place the stickers on the board.• 2) All group members read the stickers and

participate in (re-)structuring them into a relevant structure

• 3) All group members participate in assessing and choosing project activities, based on the structure

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Problem analysis – HOW?

2) The 6 W model

ProblemWhom?

Why? What?

Where?

When?How?

Bottom up analysis

• Who is causing the problem?• Who says this is a problem?• Who are impacted by this

problem?• Etc.

WhoWho WhatWhat WhereWhere

WhenWhen WhyWhy HowHow

• What will happen if this problem is not solved?

• What are the symptoms?• What are the impacts?• Etc.

• Where does this problem occur?• Where does this problem have an

impact?• Etc.

• When does this problem occur?• When did this problem first start

occurring?• Etc.

• Why is this problem occurring?• Why?• Why?• Etc.

• How should the process or system work?

• How are people currently handling the problem?

• Etc.

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Documentation

3 types of project documentation:• Working papers• Project diary• Project report

The project report have to be handed in by the end of the project period

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Working papers – WHAT?

All types of written documentation, whether on paper or as an electronic file, which is related to

• the project task, • the project management • the group work

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Working papers – WHY?

• To capture, coordinate and distribute the information collected and/or created by individual members of the group, to the other group members as well as to the supervisor

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Working papers – HOW?

If written text the working papers should contain the following four parts:

1. Header for identification2. Introduction (What? Why?)3. The main text4. Summary (What did we learn?)

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Working papers – HOW?

• If diagrams, drawings etc. the working papers should as a minimum contain:

• Header for identification• Explanatory text

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Working papers – HOW?

In the Contract of Cooperation you could include points on production of working papers:

• How to distribute the work tasks• How many persons write in a sub-group• How to give response to working papers• How and when to get response from the

supervisor

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Diary

• A diary documents the most important activities and decisions in the group

• The group has to decide upon a suitable format for and content of the diary

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Recommended group discussion

Discussion within your project group:

• What are your goals and expectations to our project?

• What can you contribute to the project?

• Make a co-operation contract for your group