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Building PBL Units

Module Five - Creating a Unit Plan

Stages of Problem-Solving

Define Problem

Gather Data & Explore Possibilities

Invent Options

Evaluate Options

Create a Plan

Act

In too many cases, groups rush the problem identification stage. Impatient to get on with the apparent task at hand, they jump on symptoms rather than causes in ways that often complicate or worsen the real problems.

PBL usually starts with an exploration stage, with students gathering background information and acquainting themselves with the complexities of the situation.

When the problem is right in their own backyard, their exploration will range from reading local newspaper stories through interviews and field visits.

The teacher may present a problem in a single clear sentence, but that is only the start of defining the problem because that setence is vague. Students must sharpen the focus and while adding detail.

For example, the teacher might start with, "What should be done about traffic in Marin County?"

The students would then start generating subsidiary questions like those in the cluster diagram below.

What began as a fairly simple question grows in complexity. But the class may end up selecting just one element of the diagram above for the PBL project.

"How should local governments act with the state government to provide incentives for drivers to change their habits in ways that will reduce the amount of driving and resulting hothouse gasses?"

Next module. Please do not proceed until asked to do so by the workshop leader.