What is PBL and how does it work at McMaster?
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an educational approach that contends that knowledge is best remembered in the context in which it is learned, and that acquisition and integration of new knowledge requires activation of prior knowledge (Schmidt, 1983). In contrast to the common approach of using a problem for application after learning has taken place, problem-based learning requires that the learner encounter a problem first as the initial stimulus for learning (Barrows, 1980; Branda, 1990). The learner thus becomes actively involved in the learning process, can shape it to meet personal needs based on prior knowledge and experience, can engage in independent study appropriate to his/her unique learning style, and can integrate information from many sources, including student peers, into a construct for use in dealing with future problems. The essential characteristics of a PBL health profession curriculum are outlined by Walton and Matthew (1989) as follows: an organization of conten
