Problem Based Learning Is Effective Teaching Style
Dr. Larry Cogburn, standing left, and a problem-based learning team take an elec
trocardiogram of a calf as part of a problem-based learning laboratory in a compara
tive physiology course. The students, clockwise from left, are LeAnne Highsmith,
Robert Rohrer, Gregory Greene, Kim Gagliardi, Cherilyn Gaskill and Christina Roller!.
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CLAIRE MCCABE
University of Delaware
NEWARK, Del. When you
get a group of students working
together on a practical problem,
some amazing learning can take
place. That’s what two professors
at the University of Delaware
have discovered. Dr. Calvin Keel
er and Dr. Larry Cogburn, both in
the department of animal science
and agricultural biochemistry,
took a course from the universi
ty’s Center for Teaching Effec
tiveness on problem-based learn
ing. They then applied the meth
ods to their classes.
“Problem-based learning was
developed at medical and veteri
nary schools,” Keeler says. “The
idea is that if students are given a
practical problem and have to fig
ure it out themselves, they are
much more apt to retain what they
learn.”
Keeler is using problem-based
learning in his course on princi
ples of molecular genetics,
designed for seniors and first
year graduate students. He
acknowledges that it’s more work
for the teacher.
“You can’t just grind out
facts,” he says. “The structure of
DNA is not easy for students to
leam. So I had to think about giv
ing them a problem that makes
them figure out the structure of
DNA—for example, how a muta
gen affects DNA. By figuring out
what happens to the DNA, they
have also figured out the DNA
structure.”
Cogbum uses a problem-based
approach in the laboratory section
of his undergraduate comparative
physiology course. Each week,
the students are given a practical
problem with a domestic animal.
For example, one laboratory
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 21, 1995-BS
requires students to take and com
pare electrocardiograms of sever
al types of animals.
The class is divided into six
person teams in which each indi
vidual plays a distinct role: leader,
recorder, lab reporter,I*accuracy 1 *accuracy
coach, encourager and researcher.
These roles are rotated with each
project.
“The problem-based labs make
students work together.” Cogburn
notes. “Everyone has different
skills. And all can contribute and
achieve. In a sense, the students
are motivated to work by peer
pressure. They try to excel.
“They learn effective commu
nication skills, interpersonal rela
tions and how to work as a team,”
he adds.
Cogburn says the work is both
practical and applied. As students
discuss the problems, just as they
would in a private laboratory or
practice, they learn that no one
can perform all the tasks and
everybody has something differ
ent to offer.
“I find that the students are
more motivated; they learn to
work in a group and appreciate
the different skills of others,”
Cogburn says. “And they learn
responsibility.”
Cogburn just completed his
third year using the problem
based learning method. It has
proven to be effective for his pur
poses. Keeler, having completed
one semester of problem-based
learning, says he’ll do it again.
“Problem-based learning is
more work, and it’s tough for the
students too,” Keeler says. “It can
be intimidating. Students can’t
just sit there and listen —they
have to participate. But it’s worth
it if they learn and retain more.”