The process of implementing problem-based learning in a teacher education programme: an exploratory case study

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred instructional approach in which complex real-world problems are used as the vehicle to promote students’ learning of concepts and principles. This paper presents a case study that explored the learning experiences of 18 pre-service teachers and how the instructor was affected when implementing PBL in a course entitled “Principles of Instruction.” Data-collection methods included multiple sources of evidence, such as reflective reports, interviews, participation observations, students’ reports, and a questionnaire. Data analysis consisted of examining, categorising, and recombining quantitative and qualitative evidence to address the initial propositions of the study. This paper demonstrates how pre-service teachers’ professional knowledge, learning engagement, reflective abilities, and teamwork were enhanced through the PBL approach, and that the quality of teaching also improved for the instructor. This study contributes to the professional literature on PBL in teacher-education courses, and may serve to encourage educators to implement PBL in their courses.

Keywords:

• case study
• pre-service teachers
• problem-based learning
• teacher education

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

This study aimed to explore how the problem-based learning (PBL) approach affect the pre-service teachers’ learning experiences and what issues the instructor experienced when adopting PBL resources in her teaching. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers’ professional knowledge, learning engagement, reflective abilities, and teamwork were enhanced through the PBL approach, and that the quality of teaching for the instructor also improved. This study contributes to the professional literature on PBL in teacher education courses and may serve to encourage educators to implement PBL in their courses.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan under Grants number [46001070182-EDU].

Notes on contributors

Chia-Chi Wang

Chia-Chi Wang is an associate professor in the Center for Teacher Education at the Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. Dr. Wang majored in Educational Psychology. Her research interests focus on Creativity, Educational Testing and Assessment in Rasch Measurement and its applications to educational and psychological measurement. She was the secretary General of the first term in the Global Association of Chinese Creativity. Dr. Wang has published more than 20 refereed journal articles and several book chapters in creativity and assessment domains. She has been an anonymous reviewer for many journals, such as Creativity Research Journal, International Journal of Educational Methodology, Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, Creative Education, Psychological Testing, and Bulletin of Educational Psychology etc.