Pointers

The tutor’s role in PBL is more than that of the tutor in any group work. With greater responsibility to be invested in the learners, tutors have to be disciplined about not upstaging the learners at centre stage. Some suggestions for the PBL tutor are offered below.

• Plan carefully (e.g. anticipate needs and resources).
• Acquire the necessary skills of an effective facilitator of learning. As those involved in the New Pathway Programme at Harvard Medical School pointed out: “In spite of the growing interest in problem-based learning in medical education, minimal attention has been devoted to defining pertinent teaching skills for encouraging student-directed discussions”¹⁰.
  
• Brief students on the aims and objectives of PBL and provide some training for functioning in PBL groups. Clarify expectations, and emphasise individual responsibility and accountability for the learning.
  
• Learn to ease up on control and let students find things out for themselves. Play down the teacher-as-expert role and practise facilitation skills instead.
  • Suggest possibilities, and encourage group evaluation of ideas.
    
  • Provide time and opportunity for thinking.
    
  • Monitor group processes.
    
  • Resist ‘rescue operations’ in the name of efficiency.
  • Do not push for group consensus. Thoughtful working through of issues takes time and there may be conflicts before arriving at a resolution.

Philosophy | Parameters | Process | Pointers | Problems | Promises

10. L. Wilkerson, J.P. Hafler & P. Liu. (1991). ‘A Case Study of Student-directed Discussion in Four Problem-based Tutorial Groups’. Academic Medicine. Vol. 66, pp. 795–815.