The solution therefore is partly dependent on the acquisition and comprehension of facts, but also based on the ability to think critically. The phrase is often bandied about but seldom defined. For our purposes, critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, as well as to apply that information appropriate to a given context. It is both critical and creative in that synthesis, in particular, requires the learner to take what information is known, reassemble it with information not known, and to derive a new body of knowledge. The instructor is not passive during student learning, but neither does he take the traditional role of sage on the stage.
Students also can model for one another a variety of problem-solving strategies.
This may seem contradictory as solving the problem is an important and critical aspect of PBL hence its name. PBL, by having students demonstrate for themselves their capabilities, can increase students motivation to tackle problems. Problem-based learning is also experiential in that participants experience what it is like to think as a practitioner. It is also a question of great concern to employers. PBL can address all three areas.