Qualities of the tutor/facilitator in problem-based learning

The role of the tutor in problem-based learning is to scaffold student learning. (de Grave, Dolmans, & van der Vleuten 1999, p 901)

The expert tutor (after de Grave, Dolmans & van der Vleuten 1999 p 902)
1. Expert tutors need to have subject matter knowledge but also subject-specific pedagogical knowledge to deal with difficulties students experience with learning subject matter, and expert tutors need more general pedagogical knowledge. 2. Expert tutors display a high level of affective support and nurture their students. 3. Expert tutors use a Socratic style of tutoring, that is they seek to draw as much as is possible out of their students and to make learning an active and constructive process. 4. Expert tutors are committed to making increasing demands on the student in each tutoring session. 5. Expert tutors convey these high expectations in a very indirect and understated manner. 6. Expert tutors are more likely to articulate and especially to encourage and help the student to articulate the reasoning and meaning underlying their thinking, for example by stimulating selfgenerated explanations. 7. Expert tutors devote substantial effort to encouraging and motivating students.

Four key dimensions of the expert problem-based learning tutor (after de Grave, Dolmans & van der Vleuten 1999)
1 2 3 4 Stimulates elaboration of information and ideas Directs the learning process Stimulates integration of knowledge Stimulates student interaction and individual accountability

A significant concern in PBL in medicine is the impact of content expert versus non-content experts as tutors/facilitators. A major review of this literature is that by Dolmans, Gijselaers, Moust, de Grave, Wolfhagen and van der Vleuten (2002). They find mixed results. For topics where students are tutored by content experts, some studies show greater depth of student learning but others show no significantly different outcomes. Dolmans et al suggest that where students study a topic for the very first time then content expert tutors may well help them to a greater initial understanding than non-content experts. Similar ambiguities are found about whether the tutorial process itself is better facilitated by a content expert. Content experts tend to take a more directive approach whereas non-content expert tutors tend to focus more on group dynamics. Where the problem trigger generates a lot of content related issues, there seems to be agreement that content experts help tutorial groups proceed faster and keep the discussion more on track. Dolmans et al conclude that a tutors performance is not a stable teacher characteristic, but is rather situation specific. (p177)

Reasons why a tutor may not make a good problem-based learning facilitator (after Oliffe, 2000)
Personal educational philosophy, especially not believing in or being prepared to trust PBL as a student-centred, active and constructivist approach to learning and instead defaulting to a didactic, teacher focused and information transfer mode of teaching Lack of personal exposure to PBL (The chances are that relatively few PBL tutors will themselves have experienced PBL as students) Lack of skills and experience with tutoring in PBL, especially lack of the range of appropriate skills and the confidence to know when to switch from one to another Personal ego. The PBL tutor facilitates the learning of others unobtrusively. The lecturer frequently performs to (in front of?) students Resistance to change Obsession with content

Some suggestions on improving PBL tutor confidence and performance (after Oliffe, 2000)
Reflection on ones role and performance, especially through journal keeping and reflective writing Regular meetings of PBL tutors to review the problems triggers being used and issues in facilitating tutorial groups Literature review and journal clubs (to cover both the problem trigger topics and the pedagogic research on student learning). Peer observation of tutorial sessions Regular monitoring of student feedback on PBL tutorials

Some appropriate facilitator tactics (after Oliffe, 2000)

Encourage students to talk about relevant experience Tolerate silences Divide the group to discuss important issues Encourage students to empathise with all the people in the problem scenario Ask students to elaborate, especially on their reasoning and deductive processes Ask probing, but non-directive questions Encourage listening Avoid suggesting the right answer Gently create student dissatisfaction with their current ideas Encourage students to identify and explore issues Encourage students to direct their own learning Model useful and constructive behaviour, especially by thinking and reflecting aloud and summarising progress on content and processes of working in the tutorial

References: De Grave, W S, Dolmans, D H J M & van der Vleuten, C P M (1999) Profiles of effective tutors in problem-based learning: scaffolding student learning. Medical Education. 33 901-906. Dolmans, D H J M, Gijselaers, W J H, Moust, J H C, de Grave, W , & van der Vleuten, C P M (2002) Trends in research on the tutor in problembased learning: conclusions and implications for educational research. Medical Teacher. 24 173-180.

Oliffe, J (2000) Facilitation in PBL espoused theory versus theory in use: reflections of a first time user. Australian Electronic Journal of Nursing Education. 5(2)