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Lobry de Bruyn, L. A. and Prior, J. C. (2001a). Changing
Student Learning Focus in Natural Resource Management Education
- Problems (and some Solutions) with using Problem Based Learning.
In Flexible Learning for a Flexible Society Proceedings
of ASET/HERDSA 2000 Joint International Conference, 2-5th
July Toowoomba, L. Richardson and J. Lidstone (Eds) (ASET/HERDSA,
Queensland). Pp 441-451. ISBN: 0 908557 47 7.
Abstract:
To produce competent students who can support the rapid
changes occurring in natural resource management you need
to get them to do more than listen: students must read,
write, discuss, analyse, synthesise, evaluate, solve problems
and work together. There is a growing need to include other
strategies and skills development in classroom teaching.
Both authors have attempted to use problem based learning
(PBL) to strengthen and develop student competencies in
the areas of information literacy, communication and solving
"real-world" problems. Our teaching approach is
to integrate knowledge acquisition and teaching strategies
to actively engage students in the learning process. The
authors present class activities and student and lecturer
evaluations of PBL in two units: Land Evaluation and Land
Degradation (Lobry de Bruyn), and Rural Extension Science
(Prior).
The use of PBL has identified some generic learning issues
in a natural resource management context and they include:
- Students often feel uncomfortable in being presented
with "messy" ill-defined problems which is characteristic
of the “fuzzy” nature of the PBL environment.
- The nature of the problem solving skills required –
a range of problem solving skills or tools (e.g. critical
thinking, strategic planning) must also be taught (or
developed) as part of PBL exercises.
- The nature of the group/team skills required –
most PBL exercises are conducted within student groups
or teams. Thus students must develop team skills and perspectives
in order to successfully undertake the PBL exercise.
To develop a successful PBL teaching framework requires
frequent monitoring of student learning progress and perceptions,
and a considerable degree of responsiveness on the part
of the teacher. In conclusion PBL can provide effective
strategies for strengthening and developing student competencies
in a number of desired learning areas.
Lobry de Bruyn, L. A. and Prior, J. C. (2001b). Meeting of
Minds – Clashing of Cultures: evolution of teaching practice
to engage students as co-learners. In HERDSA 2001 Conference
– Learning Partnerships – Newcastle University,
Newcastle 8-11th July.
Abstract:
The authors present their own experiences, strategies and
reflections in attempting to engage students as co-learners
in two units - Land Evaluation and Land Degradation (Lobry
de Bruyn), and Rural Extension Science (Prior) - over a
period of several years. We have used several techniques
within our units to involve students in the learning process
in order to shift the emphasis from what we will do as lecturers
towards what students can achieve in terms of their own
learning outcomes. Many of our approaches have been adapted
from adult learning principles such as those outlined below
(adapted from Onsman 1991):
- Adults learn by doing
- Adults learn when they have a perceived need to learn
- Adults learn by solving problems
- Different adults learn in different ways ( e.g. three
modalities of visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning)
- Adults like variety in their learning activities
- Adults want feedback in their performance
- Adults want to apply what they learn
- Adults learn when the learning fits their value systems
- Adults already know a great deal (viz. “Prior
Learning”, “Indigenous Technical Knowledge”)
We have found that each of these principles has enormous
implications for student involvement within the learning
process. To ignore them is to risk student indifference.
Students who feel that their learning needs are being met
are more likely to be involved in and enjoy the learning
process. Students are essentially “voluntary learners”
although not always self-directed in their learning. One
of the important issues in adopting a content-focussed approach
rather than a student-centred approach is that students
are implicitly discouraged from being self-directed in their
learning. For this reason students have not always been
willing participants in the incremental evolution of our
teaching practice towards more interactive, active learning
approaches. We have both encountered varying degrees of
student resistance to the “new approach” and
varying student acknowledgment that learning is a “two-way”
process that requires equivalent input from them. From class
discussions we find that many of the students view the lecturer’s
role as being transmissive and their role as being passive
and reproductive. Nevertheless we conclude that engaging
the student in the learning process has a number of benefits
which include better preparation for the workplace, and
that students may achieve a clearer understanding of their
personal learning goals. Ultimately such approaches have
the potential to produce students who are imbued with confidence
in their ability to learn and adapt to a changing world.
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