Its first appearance was probably at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada in the 1960s. Some efforts have also been made to use PBL in K-12 environments. A unit or course using PBL begins with a problem situation. No direct instruction or review of pertinent prior knowledge precedes the presentation of the problem.
Students then divide up the work of doing research to find the needed information.
The first task is usually to determine if there is a problem, and to define it. The role of the teacher differs dramatically in a PBL class from that of the traditional classroom, where the teacher determines the content and sequence of the objectives to be met, and provides direct instruction. Teachers most often function as metacognitive coaches, asking students how they know what they know, and getting them to examine their thinking. Four Common Elements Ill-structured problems. The characteristic that is probably most central to PBL is the use of problems that are ill-structured.