Problem-Based Learning: What and How Do Students Learn, Essay Example

Citation 1: “Among various dimensions of peer interactions, the effect of classroom/school peers on a student’s own academic performance is at the heart of the diverse debates on educational reform” (Kang, 2006, p. 1).

Summary of Key Ideas: the article of Kang (2006) is dedicated to studying the effect of peer groups on the academic success of students. The researcher studied the academic interactions among classroom peer in the middle schools in Korea, and found out that the relationship between peer group work and academic achievement is causal. Weak students were found to cooperate more eagerly with similarly weak students, while strong students were found to cooperate with strong students. Therefore, the recommendations researchers explored were directed at ability grouping and mixing.

Important Pages for Future Reference: p. 2 – disagreement on peer influence in academic works; pp. 4-5 – peer interactions literature, p. 27 – summary of results.

Citation 2: “In PBL, students work in small collaborative groups and learn what they need to know in order to solve a problem… An important part … is identifying knowledge deficiencies relative to the problem. These knowledge deficiencies become what are known as the learning issues that students research during their self-directed learning (SDL)” (Hmelo-Silver, 2006, p. 236).

Summary of Key Ideas: the article is about the benefit of problem-based learning (PBL); this strategy is seen as a vital element of learning that helps students learn both the content and thinking skills. The authors are specifically interested in how PBL can help the weak achievers in the acceleration of their academic success.

Important Pages for Future Reference: pp. 236-237 – PBL and other instructional approaches; pp. 239-240 – goals of PBL; p. 246 – collaborative learning in PBL.

References

Hmelo-Silver, C. E. (2004). Problem-based learning: what and how do students learn? Educational Psychology Review, 16(3), 235-266.

Kang, C. (2006). Classroom peer effects and academic achievement: quasi-randomization evidence from South Korea. Journal of Urban Economics. Retrieved from http://prof.cau.ac.kr/~ckang/papers/Classroom%20Peer%20Effects%20-%20Changhui%20Kang.pdf