new problem-based learning

I love problem-based learning just like I will always advocate object-oriented program design.

Experience has taught me, however, that applying only one technique or approach or executing it in its purest form, and hoping to see the fruits may turn out to be a disappointment, if not most of the time.

This could be my own subjective experience but I am a true believer of systems thinking.

Problem-based learning is no doubt a good pedagogy to use in developing students' problem solving, communication, information search, creative and critical thinking, leadership, and team working skills, which are some of the skills demanded by employers.

So are other teaching and learning methods, such as project-based learning. Ultimately in any teaching and learning situation, our focus remains on the students, their motivation, difficulties encountered in learning the subject matter, attitude on learning, state of development, appropriate instructional design, coaching and mentoring skills of the teaching staff - just listing some important learning considerations on top of my head.

If one has to engage in a friendly discussion on which is a better method, it can go as long as it could ... but why do we have to defend or support an approach if we can combine two or more to create a better synergy?

Let's look at the prerequisite requirements in using PBL in teaching and learning. To make PBL work, students play an important factor - the facilitators and the problems/triggers as well, of course, which we will not dwell on here.

What are the conditions of learning? If students are of little motivated, not so capable of self-directed learning and exercising thinking, lack of discipline and inquisitiveness, and weak in their foundation knowledge and skills, it may be a great great challenge to make learning happen under such learning situation.

It sounds demoralising. The polytechnic, the one out of the five, which has opted to go for a big bang approach to introducing PBL to their students from the first year, has my respect, despite the mixed feeling, true or not, we may occasionally hear from their students, staff and industries.

Mind you! There are pros just as much as cons in using the traditional pedagogical methods. The PBL approach, when introduced from the first day of class, has the advantage of setting the culture right and paving the way for future expansion in students' horizon.

What is the problem then? Or are there any problems? Perhaps not.

What is known, however, is the fact that the polytechnic will have to do their best to attract quality prospective students, the O level school leavers, in the yearly Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) and Direct Polytechnic Admission (DPA) exercise, and to reduce the cut-off point for most of its courses below 20.

For those who need to know, here is a quick "O Level Aggregate Point Computation 101".

At the end of their ten years education at both the Primary and Secondary Schools, all pupils sit for a national examination, which is called GCE O level examination (General Certificate of Education, Ordinary level). The computation of the O level examination score is based on five subjects, which include English, Mathematics, and one other Relevant subject and two other Best subjects, excluding CCA (Co-Curricular Activity). The lower the aggregate of five subjects, the better your chance to secure your first choice of course. The range of the O level score is between 5 to 26.

Mixed feeling it may be, argument let's not. I love the unknown. I love challenges. I will simply view this as a "problem" since PBL is the topic in focus. And ...

Let's solve this problem: if a polytechnic has adopted PBL as its campus-wide teaching and learning approach, is it possible to re-brand the polytechnic with PBL?

This is where two come in handy, and when synergised, create the bang. I am talking about integrating Problem-Based Learning and Design Thinking to re-branding the polytechnic as shown in Figure 1.

FIGURE 1: A T-shape, Design Thinking professional.

Very obvious, the graduate outcome targeted is a professional capable of creative problem solving, strong in communication skill, possesses design thinking, persuading, negotiating and influencing skills to lead and manage a team while knowledgeable enough to involve in and carry a production to its successful end.

Let's solve another problem: Is it possible to raise the stake of the polytechnic in the educational scene?

This is a tough one, given that the polytechnic has already set a precedent by admitting pupils with 20+ pointers since its inception. It will be an insurmountable task to overcome the perception of the polytechnic. The challenge increases as skill becomes an important learning outcome.

Do we resign to fate? Fear not. There is always a way. In a typical learning situation, students take up four to five subjects in a semester. They attend a class to learn the respective subject matter. The assignment projects may or may not be integrated and presented in a contextual situation closed to a problem encountered in the real life.

Why does learning have to happen in this way? What if we put students from various disciplines (Figure 2) in a class where a problem is a trigger of learning? Where they collaborate in their learning process to solve a complex problem?

Will learning better take place under such circumstance? Will their cognitive load better managed? Will they better focus on acquiring the skillset demanded by the employers? Will they be more motivated and learning more optimal because learning happens within the zone of proximal development? Will learning become self-generated because they are learning subjects that they are interested in? Will they acquire related knowledge while working in and collaborating with students from other disciplines? What kind of spark we can create?

FIGURE 2: A curriculum framework under the Design Thinking curriculum.

Let's solve a more complex problem: Is it possible to re-brand the polytechnic with PBL while increase its stake in the polytechnic educational scene?

I present Figure 3 (and coupled with Figure 1 & 2) as the approach I would re-brand the polytechnic with PBL: from One-Day-One-Problem to One-Semester-One-Problem and One-Year-One-Problem - students will learn to solve everyday problems from simple to complex progressively over the three years of their study in a collaborative team that is made up of students from various disciplines.

FIGURE 3: Graduate outcomes.

Let's solve the LAST but more challenging problem: Is it possible to produce unique and well sought-after graduates for the polytechnic?

In this global economy, we will likely see our graduates working in a multicultural environment. Let's simulate that situation in the polytechnic education. Let's have students had a taste of global production as part of their learning journey.

I present the simulated studio-based learning environment as shown in Figure 4 as a way to produce T-shape skillset, design thinking mindset professionals.

FIGURE 4: Learning will take place in a simulated studio-based learning environment.

In my close to eighteen years of experience in the polytechnic I serve, I have almost come to a conclusion that while we try our best to develop the knowledge, skill and attitude of our students in a learning climate that is presented to us, perhaps we should take an unusual approach to learning design to accelerate the learning process and facilitate real learning in our students.

Let's think out of box in our curriculum design. Let's put students in a simulated studio to work and learn. Let's put context in students' learning by doing away compartmentalised learning of individual subject.

Problem-Based Learning and Design Thinking, as viewed in this context, is indeed a good complement.