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UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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| Abstract : Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris |
| This research involved developing, implementing and evaluating Problem Based Learning (PBL) designs in the context of Malaysian teacher education. As a relatively new teaching and learning approach in the Malaysian higher education landscape, the student-centered learning such as the PBL has posed challenges since the approach was too different from the demands and constraints of contextual needs, i.e Malaysian teacher education. With regards to this challenge, the proposed PBL designs have been adjusted to suit the Malaysian teacher education. Putting forward the above issues, the researcher has adopted Design Based Research (DBR) as the research methodology due to its principles that strive to make learning research more contextually relevant. In particular, the method addresses the needs and norms of a local context, which has led to research findings that are scientifically trustworthy and useful in practical sense. DBR emphasises synergistic relationship between researching, designing and engineering the PBL design in an effort to understand learning in a complex environment. Since the method concerns learning and cognition, its inherent activities of research and design involve (1) collaborating with local practitioners, (2) developing and implementing the PBL design, (3) striving to refine and improve the PBL design through iteration and adjustment and (4) seeking to document the impact of the PBL design implementation on students' learning and students' learning environment. Instead of strictly following a set of ideas, the DBR allows the researcher to systematically adjust and iterate the PBL design as the research progresses especially during the implementation phase. This practice of embedded research within practical activities has led to (1) having the PBL design itself as a study, (2) better informed core issues in education, and (3) achievement of higher external validity. To achieve such PBL designs, the research was divided into three design phases: Compiling initialfindingsfor the PBL design, Developing the PBL designfor Malaysia setting and Implementing the PBL design in Malaysia setting. The first design phase aimed to shed light on the impact ofPBL on student learning, and the potentials and constraints ofPBL implementation. Evidence Such information were gathered from theoretical. practical and contextual perspectives. Accordingly, research findings on the impacts ofPBL on students' learning were favourable and the key potentials and constraints were identified. These collective initial findings have served as one of the three elements for PBL design development in the second design phase (i.e., Developing the PBL designfor Malaysia setting). Another two elements involve in this PBL design development phase are: PBL curriculum elements and course analysis. A number of PBL curriculum elements were analysed to ensure that they were aligned, while the intended course for the PBL design implementation was analysed to ensure that the learning outcomes were addressed in the PBL design. Following the results from the second design phase, the course content was transformed into three PBL problems (PBL 1: Constructivism, PBL2: Alternative Conception and PBL3: 2 r Century Learning). Each of these PBL problems emphasise on both knowledge and skills acquisition among the students. The PBL toolkit was also developed for all the PBL problems such as lesson plan, PBL scenario, student written reflection and assessment. Subsequently, the PBL design was brought into practice in the third design phase (i.e., Implementing the PBL design in Malaysia setting). The aim of this phase is to implement the PBL design in Malaysian teacher education context and to ascertain the impact of the PBL design implementation on students' learning and on students' learning environment. Different numbers of weeks are required for the students to deal with the three PBL problems. Likewise, each PBL problem has different number of PBL learning cycles for the students to complete. To obtain the empirical data on the impact of the PBL design implementation on students' learning and students' learning environment, observation, students' written reflection, interview and questionnaire were used. Data analysis approach such as inductive analysis and descriptive statistics were use to qualitative and quantitative data respectively. The findings of this research have indicated that the students were aware of the knowledge and the variety of skills they acquired, developed and improved throughout the course. The PBL activities that required the students to be actively involved in the learning process were linked to the knowledge and skills they acquired. The group learning activities-which included brainstorming, discussing, arguing, presenting and locating resources-have served as an opportunity for them to validate arguments, and exchange and expand ideas-all of which have resulted in better resolutions of the tasks. The students also remarked their favour towards PBL: they felt comfortable sharing information and asking for help from the other group members. In managing the information, the students pointed out that their ability to find, reach and analyse information has improved, thus, they have learned a lot during the activities. The above findings have spoken directly about (1) the methodology, (2) the PBL design and (3) the teaching and learning activities and materials. Application ofDBR as the research methodology increases the relevance of the PBL design for the Malaysian teacher education since it value and consider multiple elements that influence learning. Therefore, initiating the new learning practice such as PBL is possible in a context that is entrenched with traditional learning practice, i.e Malaysian teacher education. The research has demonstrated that DBR is a feasible means to reconciliate the distance between PBL and the present learning environment adaopted in Malaysian teacher education. |
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