PBL Teachers in Higher Education: Challenges and Possibilities

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a both a learning philosophy and a pedagogical method and, in this case, with a strong emphasis on student direction. Consequently, the teacher’s role is to facilitate students’ learning processes, by helping them find and formulate the problem to solve while still leaving the ownership and responsibility for their choices to the students and at the same time making sure that students’ work will allow them to fulfill the curricular requirements. Being a PBL teacher poses challenges regarding how to balance laissez-faire and control supervision, as well as possibilities to inspire student creativity and innovation.