Application of Problem-based Learning Strategy in Science Lessons – Examples of Good Practice

Abstract It is widely accepted that in the context of Knowledge-based Society, the educational institutions must demonstrate their ideologically and pragmatic point of views, when discussing the role of the promoters of educational changes. The changes require - among other aspects of pedagogical and psycho-social issues - a reconsideration of what constitutes the effective teaching strategy, adapted to the needs of the learners. Thus, within the Science classes (Chemistry, Physics and Biology), the teaching approach cannot remain an expositional one, based only on the transmission and reception of information. A student-centred educational process, aiming to the development of key-skills, necessarily involves a pro-active approach that facilitates students’ involvement in research, scientific investigation, analysis of problematic situations or solving real problems or merely hypothetical ones. Through its specificity, the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) strategy may be a central component of such teaching approaches. The purpose of the article is to highlight the effectiveness of PBL, through presenting some of the best educational practices implemented by the Romanian Science teachers who participated in the “PROFILES - Education through Science” Continuous Professional Development Programme. The investigative approach is a qualitative one, focused on the analysis of the teaching practices based on PBL implementation, but also on the analysis of students’ and teachers’ opinions who used this strategy in Science lessons. The hypothesis that was stated as a premise of the research took into consideration the fact that when using the PBL teaching strategy during the Science lessons, the students will acquire not only cognitive skills but also a series of instrumental and transversal ones.