Problem-based learning in teacher education: an action research project

Abstract

This paper argues that, although there is a worldwide move from face-to-face to distance education (DE) and open educational resources (OER) in teacher education, there is no guarantee that DE is able to lead to the development of appropriate teaching skills in student teachers. In the wake of the introduction of DE in teacher education at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), a group of teacher educators at MIE have been questioning their own approaches to the teaching and learning process of teacher education. This questioning has encouraged them to revisit their own practices through the adoption of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach to deliver a module in an initial teacher education course. During the implementation of the PBL process, emphasis has been placed on the development of skills and the transformation of students from passive learners to active participants in their own learning. The teacher educators have investigated the implementation of PBL in their teaching through an action-research (AR) project. The research revealed that, when implemented using a face-to-face approach and cooperative learning, PBL was an effective tool in developing meaningful learning among student teachers. The researchers came to the conclusion that DE could have a role to play in the delivery of the theoretical component of teacher education. However, for the development of teaching skills, face-to-face sessions and PBL should be used as an effective tool to help student teachers acquire certain skills and hence help them become more efficient in their future role as teachers.