Dan Tries Problem-Based Learning: A Case Study

Problem-based learning approaches to education often generate justifiable enthusiasm among faculty who have become frustrated with the limitations of traditional lecture-based education. However, faculty contemplating a change to a problem-based format rarely anticipate the many practical difficulties that can destroy one's enthusiasm and create chaos in the classroom. This case study, about the trials and tribulations of a fictional anthropology professor, attempts to alert faculty who are interested in trying the method to some of the unexpected challenges they might encounter.