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The Nature of Problem-based Learning

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Problem-based Learning in Nursing

Part of the book series: Nurse Education in Practice ((NEP))

Abstract

PBL is an instructional method in which students work in small groups to gain knowledge and acquire problem-solving skills. A major characteristic of PBL is that the problem is presented to the students before the material has been learned rather than after, as in the more traditional ‘problem-solving approach’. A second notable feature of PBL is that the problems are presented in the context in which students are likely to encounter the given (or a similar) problem in real life. It is this contextualisation of material which makes PBL an attractive strategy for the education of professionals (cf. Chapter 1).

No doubt, problem-based learning is the basic human learning process that allowed primitive man to survive in his environment. (Barrows and Tamblyn, 1980, p. 72)

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Authors
  1. Kay Wilkie
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. St Bartholomew’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, City University, UK

    Sally Glen (Professor of Nursing Education and Dean) (Professor of Nursing Education and Dean)

  2. School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Dundee, UK

    Kay Wilkie (PBL Co-ordinator) (PBL Co-ordinator)

Copyright information

© 2000 Kay Wilkie

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Cite this chapter

Wilkie, K. (2000). The Nature of Problem-based Learning. In: Glen, S., Wilkie, K. (eds) Problem-based Learning in Nursing. Nurse Education in Practice. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-333-98240-2_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-333-98240-2_2

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-333-77014-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-333-98240-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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