Problem-Based Learning(PBL) has become an important educational approach to suit for the knowledge-based society. PBL leads to teach a course of study as well as a creative ability to solve the problem by suggesting ill-structure problems, which come ...
Problem-Based Learning(PBL) has become an important educational approach to suit for the knowledge-based society. PBL leads to teach a course of study as well as a creative ability to solve the problem by suggesting ill-structure problems, which come from the complicated real life.
The aims of this study is to examine the case of evaluation in the problem-based learning in the classroom.
In the case study of C class of the third grade in E elementary school, what are served in PBL are the problem, the self-evaluation of teachers, and the estimating of the study of students.
First, the problem was evaluated before the teaching-learning process. The teachers proceed it according to the previous classes. They considered the role, ill-structure and reality of the problem by modifying the past failure.
Secondly, the teacher evaluated their teaching during the teaching-learning process. In the terms of the teaching-learning process, they had reconsidered whether the participation and question of themselves were appropriate or not through the result of the class by students.
The third, the ability of creative problem solving was evaluated in the students' assessment. The ability creative problem solving was aimed in the curriculum and planed to be evaluated, but the ability of self-directed learning and the cooperated skill is not planned to be. However, both of them has been done in the process of study to be self-assessed by students.
This study results were revealed as on the followings:
First, As evaluating the problem; and the self-assessment of the teaching-learning process by teachers are interactive and complementary cooperative far from being divided in PBL. The quality of the curriculum depends on the quality of the problem. Suggesting the good problem is the most important in PBL. The teacher, who understands this, would appreciate the importance of the evaluation, then could appraise the problem with the result of students' work, and teaching process. The modified problem through these evaluations is applied to the following class, which is evaluated by the result of this class. This evaluation would direct the way of the next class again, and these processes affect the full results of students. The teacher could asses the whole classes through these results, which is needed to review the problem. Therefore, the evaluation of students' result is rotating in a cycle.
Secondly, the ability of problem solving, self-directing; and the cooperated skill in the goal of PBL are assessed for the evaluation of students' result. The ability of problem solving is scheduled to be evaluated by the result of course works, which means that the teachers value the ability of creative problem solving. Although the ability of self-directing, and the cooperated skill are not designed to be assessed, these are self-reflected by students with reflective journal.
The third, there are traditional methods to evaluate the student work. It is executed mainly by the teacher whose assessment about the final result of problem solving and the paper-and-pencil test. While the ability of creative problem solving is evaluated by students' own solutions, the knowledge of contents is estimated by the paper exam. This would reflect the traditional assessment is preferred. Hence force, the teacher is required to change the point of view point for PBL. They should devote deep study it, and approach it in diverse ways.
The forth, the systemic teacher education is supported for the developing the professionalism of teachers. After self-evaluating of teacher, it is necessary to support professional education for good teachers.
Theoretical implications regarding this finding of study are offered as follows; studying the case on evaluating problem based learning in other areas or subjects, studying how the evaluation is processed on the class between teachers and students, and developing assessment rubrics or checklist of self directed learning and cooperative skills for teachers.