Problem Based Learning - for me?

Focused PBL is defined as a “systematic teaching method that engages students in learning knowledge and skills through an extended inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks” (Buck Institute for Education).

Like a lot of movements in education, it sounds really good in theory but the implementation of it can be a lot more challenging than suggested. It seems that the ‘big wigs’ are constantly jumping from one belief system to the next without really thinking it through and keeping how in mind, rather than just what, when and why. Education continues to be a swinging pendulum. This is reminiscent of the DPA movement (daily physical education). In theory, makes sense: lets keep kids active. In practice, without changes in timetables it didn’t work as planned in a structured schedules seen in middle and high schools.

I really agree with the concept of PBL – it makes so much sense to integrate curricular areas and make the learning meaningful and applicable to students. Real life doesn’t exist in content-specific compartments, so teaching students to explore concepts linked to other curricular areas is not only useful but can be a very powerful learning experience.

So how could PBL be incorporated into my classroom, realistically? Three major roadblocks I instantly think about are compartmentalization of subject area (taught by different teachers), volume of curriculum, and timetable constraints. This seems to be easier for elementary educators as they teach their one class all day, and area responsible for all of the subject areas. Not to say it couldn’t work for me at the higher grade levels, but would definitely require orchestrating. Math is a tricky subject to do this in as concept mastery often has to come before application on skills. The BIE states that PBL is “not appropriate as a method for teaching certain basic skills such as reading or computation; however, it does provide an environment for the application of those skills”.

I love the idea of PBL, but how does it look in high schools where separate teachers teach separate content with a considerably large and specific curriculum, all within a constrained timetable? HELP!