Strategies adopted by PBL workgroup since inception:

Ø        2003: Taking stock

Unlike other schools with standardised exam procedures, academic staff at TDS employed a plethora of teaching and assessment methods. The first logical step was to identify quantitatively and qualitatively existing teaching practices, assessment methods and the general pedagogical understanding. From establishing where we were, we could better evaluate where we could and wanted to go.

Ø        2004: Problem/Project-design and assessment

The group built its PBL strategy on existing practices. One of the smallest common denominators at TDS was the employment of projects and project briefs for the curricula. This tied together with the PBL issues of problem design, the formulation of learning outcomes and the critical assessment of project-briefs.

In cooperation with the Course Managers, corresponding training courses and workshops for all academic staff were offered. Additional workshops on student assessment complemented the strategy for 2004.

Ø        2005: Training of staff for PBL delivery and identification of subjects for PBL

Staff were encouraged to go for PBL training. Additional workshops were offered to further polish staff skills in facilitating PBL process and delivery. 

For a start, all courses agreed to incorporate PBL into their major projects as a strategic move to better align and prepare other projects for PBL later on.

Since many staff members were already familiar with student group-work it was not such a big step to match the design process with that of the 7-stage PBL tutorial process.

Ø        2006: Monitoring and recording of PBL best practices.

Ø        2007: PBL in practice.

PBL practices as implemented in TDS’ major projects were carefully monitored for possible incorporation in other projects.