Abstract:

Traditional teaching and assessment typically focus on students being told what to do, memorising it, and the teacher assigning a problem on how to use it (Savery, 2006). In contrast, in problem-based learning (PBL) and assessment a problem is given to a group or individual, the teacher then facilitates the students’ learning as they identify what they need to know, and the students learn and apply a resolution to the problem (Savery, 2006). PBL can be adapted to be included as just a type of assessment in a traditional module however it is is most effective as a complete holistic approach to curriculum design and implementation. PBL is a student-centred pedagogy that is defined as “the learning that results from the process of working towards the understanding of a resolution of a problem. The problem is encountered first in the learning process” (Barrows & Tamblyn, 1980, p. 1). Based on the constructivist approach, PBL is founded on Seven Instructional Principles that focuses on learners conducting research, integrating theory and practice, and applying knowledge and skills to develop appropriate solutions to a problem anchored in real-world context (Lebow, 1993). PBL has been found to be very effective in many areas of education and continues to be widely used in higher education (Dolmans et al., 2005).

In the ever changing and fast paced world of today, it is important that we have a learning approach and assessment method that reflects the complexity of this new context (Awang & Ramly, 2008). Whilst exam-driven approaches focus on learning content, modern and original approaches like PBL focus on both process and content, allowing students develop a more holistic approach to the topic that incorporates teamwork, originality and understanding. Similarly, in recent years, employers’ desired graduate attributes have shifted from specific to more broad transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication skills and research skill. Thus, it is essential to develop a learning strategy that includes authentic assessment that is suitable and can adapt to the changing world of learning and work.

Given the evidence that PBL is an effective approach to learning, the main aim of this paper is to examine PBL as an alternative and more authentic assessment than the current exam-driven approach. In this paper, we examined three questions:
(1) Is PBL an authentic assessment and alternative to the exam approach?
(2) Does PBL help students in the development of graduate attributes and research skills?
(3) Is PBL useable and useful in a business school context?

In analysing these three questions, we provide evidence based on the literature that PBL is an effective and authentic alternative to exam assessments and is adaptable to the business school context. Our research indicates that PBL reports positive outcomes related to student learning in the areas of content knowledge and the development of skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving (Mergendoller et al., 2006). Our research also shows that PBL benefits students by increasing their motivation and engagement (Belland et al., 2006). A key element to the successful implementation of PBL is that the ‘problem/project’ is central and not peripheral to the curriculum. We also recognise that several studies (Brush & Saye, 2008) found that PBL is challenging to enact despite its positive benefits.

Keywords:

Problem Based Learning, student-centred pedagogy, constructivism approach, active engagement, Authentic assessment.