Problem-Based Learning in Professional Education

Interest in problem-based learning arose in higher education in response to criticism that programs in professional areas, e.g., medicine, engineering, failed to equip graduates with the problem-solving skills required for a lifetime of learning. Problem-based learning derives from the theory that learning is a process in which the learner actively constructs knowledge.

This presentation uses examples from undergraduate aerospace engineering at MIT to present learning theories that underlie successful PBL, identify critical features in the design of problems, and suggest effective methods for assessing PBL experiences.