So what on earth is PBL? For those of you who are considering studying at Maastricht University, dealing with this unfamiliar acronym will soon become a daily reality. PBL, or Problem Based Learning, is the educational programme adopted by Maastricht University. Such is its uniqueness that all exchange students must undertake PBL training in order to become familiar with the system before class starts. So for those interested, let me explain briefly how it works.
Forget crowded lectures, definitely say good bye to lecture slides, and give up hiding behind others in tutes when you didn’t get round to preparing. Studying at Maastricht involves attending tutorials about twice a week in a group of around ten other students and a tutor. However, the tutor is not there to provide answers but rather to monitor discussions. It is the students who must take the initiative to decide what needs to be learnt and how this shall be done.
Under the guide of an appointed discussion leader, students decide what learning objectives they will use to guide their independent study. Then after doing (a lot!) of reading, the group meets up again to discuss what they have read and to find solutions to their formulated problems. So as you can see it’s very much ‘student-centered’ learning!
The philosophy behind PBL is that it prepares students for real life by developing their independence and problem solving skills. I am still in two minds about it. On the one hand, it definitely makes you do your work as in such a small group it is very obvious when you are not prepared. I also find it feels more inviting to speak up in class than back home. However, the absence of a lecturer providing facts does make me feel a little uneasy about being prepared, but I think it’s something you just get used to. I am on exchange after all, and taking part in a different educational system is all part of the experience!