Tools for delivering scenario-based education
Terry Stewart, Massey University

PBL Interactive is a newly developed suite of tools designed to enable teachers, lecturers and others working in training or education, to create and deliver interactive problem-based scenarios as an aid to the problem based learning (PBL) instructional method.

Judges of the 2008 DEANZ award thought this software is ideally placed to encourage learners and teachers to use problem-based learning techniques.

The documentation provided about this project was substantial, providing ample evidence of its usefulness and widespread acceptance. The example provided showed a very good case study based on an ethical situation, with evidence of the outcomes available in the published papers. The software demonstrates thoughtful awareness of the scenario based teaching and learning strategies. This software is an exemplar of good practice using digitally mediated learning and teaching, and makes good use of a multimedia approach that is appropriate for the kind of learning being promoted.

The product is both transferable and scalable.

Research into the product has been well conducted. The outcomes are well referenced. There is no question that this product is very valuable to the ODL community.

An associated program, “Challenge FRAP (Form for Recording the Analysis of Problems)” assists students to produce electronic workbooks documenting problem-solving exercises, based on teacher-provided templates.