Problem Based Learning – real life approach Erasmus Project

Project Title

Problem Based Learning – real life approach

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Problem-based learning (PBL), also known as problem-oriented learning (POL), is a form of learning whose characteristic is that learners are to find a solution to a given problem largely independently. This form of learning has mainly been described for individual university studies, but we also consider it useful for vocational training at upstream EQF levels.
Problem-based learning should promote the acquisition of knowledge that can be used flexibly, the development of cross-curricular competences and better problem-solving skills. Social competence and the ability to work in a team are key qualifications that can be acquired within the framework of this training. PBL cannot replace traditional teaching and learning methods, but it can supplement them.

We consider these learning requirements to be very important in an increasingly complex world, because learning also requires a more complex approach. Hierarchies are becoming more and more flat, so that working people have to take on more and more responsibility for their field of work. In addition, the share of innovative projects in the world of work is continuously increasing. This project work demands a much higher ability to work in a team, especially in unknown situations. Here it is one of the tasks of the school to prepare the pupils for these forms of work. Therefore we focus on real life problems.which can araise from the vocational life of our students as well as normal life problems.

The aim of the project is to enable the participating institutions to gain experience in problem-oriented learning and to share the experience already gained with the project partners. Our experience so far has shown that there are often reservations about this type of learning, as this often runs counter to the existing curricula and the division of subjects it contains. Teachers quickly feel overwhelmed when they can only accompany a part of the learning process of students through the subject matter.

On project-level we want to work with 2-3 teachers per school to keep communication possible. In the Schools we plan to install interdisciplinary workgroups of 5-6 teachers if possible in different classes. For the working periods in beetween meetings: we will either work with entire classes or with voluntary workgroups. Out of these classes/workgroups we chose 5 students per school for the meetings.

We want to proceed as follows:
In a first meeting we want to present our own experiences in POL or similar pedagogical approaches to the partners in order to obtain a common working basis. In this meeting the concrete working steps are determined for the following time and a first learning problem will be defined. We will then have 4 Learning Teaching Training Meetings with students, one in each partner institution. In each meeting we will develop learning arrangements that the students of the participating schools will work on using problem-based learning methods in the time between the meetings. The results of each meeting will be presented in the following event.
All meetings should take place with teachers and students from all participating institutions at different locations. In each of these meetings the unit of problem-oriented learning the students worked on in the time before will be presented by the students and evaluated with them and the teachers. This procedure guarantees an improvement of the learning processes and results in the course of the project.
In the middle of the project we plan a teacher Training for teachers of our organisations who are not yet involved in PBL to to disseminate the contents of the project at school Level at an early stage.

The project should be transnational as it increases the complexity for all participants. The curricula in all countries are different, as is the approach to problem solving in the context of vocational training. All participating institutions can benefit from this. For example, the dual training system in Germany is confronted with full-time school systems in the partner countries. In Germany, all curricula in the vocational field are already organised in learning fields; in the general education field this has yet to happen.

The main methodology of the project can already be found in the title: PBL in Real Life Environments. For this purpose we will develop complex learning arrangements for pupils in joint workshops and trainees will prepare them in joint working groups and then complete and present them in joint meetings.

We hope that the project will improve the vocational training of our students. We achieve this by developing complex problem-based learning environments and testing them on the one hand, and by passing on our experience and knowledge to colleagues in our institutions on the other.
In the long run, our students, both current and future in the project, will benefit from improved teaching by being able to identify problems in unknown situations and react appropriately.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 83692 Eur

Project Coordinator

Werner-Heisenberg-Schule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Agrupamento de Escolas da Batalha
• Ekonomsko-birotehnicka skola
• ISTITUTO TECNICO INDUSTRIALE STATALE ALESSANDRO VOLTA