Problem‐centered learning experiences:Exploring past, present and future perspectives

Problem‐centered learning experiences provide opportunities for students to acquire in‐depth knowledge and develop critical and creative thinking skills, problem‐finding and problem‐solving skills, and advanced research skills as they address ill‐structured problems. This model of problem‐centered learning provides a structure for exploring the past, present, and future perspectives of trends, problems, events, and phenomena in the social sciences. Approaches to the development of problem‐centered learning experiences that are used to initiate a unit are presented. The activities that students engage in during each of the five stages of the investigation are described.