In PBL, students actively participate in their own learning by solving real-world problems in
which the parameters are ill-defined and ambiguous. Unlike traditional instruction in which
students attend lectures and solve well-defined end-of-chapter homework problems, PBL is
open-ended and contextualized, and student learning is driven by the problem itself. With
PBL, students learn the process of learning in addition to course content by engaging in a
systematic and iterative process that begins with problem analysis, carefully and
methodically dissecting a problem by reflecting on prior knowledge to identify knowledge
gaps, situational constraints, and other pertinent problem features required to formulate a
solution. Once the problem has been properly framed, students engage in self-directed
learning to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to solve the problem. This is followed by brainstorming possible solutions with peers, and finally solution testing, where students
develop viable strategies to test and validate their solutions.