Broadening the Benefits of PBL: a “Good” Problem
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17524/repec.v12i2.1803Keywords:
Problem Based Learning, Problem design, Management accounting, Problem characteristics, Accounting EducationAbstract
This study addresses the characteristics of a “good” problem for a management accounting course that applies the Problem Based Learning (PBL) method, in which undergraduate students are expected to define their own problems. In this case, PBL is applied as an integrative discipline, from the middle to the end of the course. The innovation is to take advantage of students’ practical knowledge and context and to expand the potential of PBL, including the identification and design of a problem, as well as the solution supported by the literature. The empirical part takes place in class groups of students, using the “action research” methodology. We particularly focused on the intrinsic and utility characteristics of good problems of 17 groups that attended the course in 2014 and 2015. The main implications of the study are: (i) highlight an opportunity to broaden the potential benefits of PBL by better characterizing a good problem for the PBL approach; (ii) discuss critical issues for PBL which are different from the traditional approach; (iii) use the eleven characteristics for a good problem in PBL in a segmented manner; and (vi) provide evidence that the role of the professor requires adaptation due to the level of uncertainty this approach encourages.References
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