Problem Based Learning

The concept of problem-based learning (now used world-wide) was pioneered in the School of Medicine at McMaster in the 1960s, as a new, more holistic approach to medical education.  PBL, often called small group, self-directed learning, is a hands-on approach where the problem drives the learning.  Students do not try to solve the problem presented, but rather the problem is used to help the students identify  their own learning needs as they attempt to solve the problem, and pull together, synthesize and apply information to the problem, and work effectively to learn from group members.