I am starting my undergraduate next year and I got accepted at University College Maastricht, where Problem-Based Learning is the learning method used.
It looked a very efficient way of learning to me till the day I assisted to an “Experience day”; a day where you experience a Pbl lesson. I felt like it was a very slow way of learning (that I could learn much more content during a lecture) and that only a few students said things during the conversation. It also seemed a bit weird to me to learn from other students rather than from an expert who really knows what he is talking about… But, maybe it was only a feeling and, because we all were not yet students at that university, maybe we did the lesson badly… Maybe when you are used to that way of learning you feel like it is really enriching?
Well, I am a bit lost because the College interests me greatly and I don’t want to decline the invitation just because I had a bad impression that day. That is why I am asking for advice/opinions here… I am sure some students know PBL much better than I do and could give me advice.
Thank you so much in advance.
What would you be studying, and how many of your courses would be taught using the PBL? How much instructor guidance is there in courses?
Overall, this is a difficult topic, and how well you would fit into this system I think depends on the answers to the previous questions as well as your personal learning style preference.
From my engineering point of view, I haven’t taken any PBL classes, but I have personally found that the courses I have taken in college that involve a lot of discussion and problem-oriented learning (Design Thinking) are the most interesting, engaging, and memorable, both of the “fun” sort and lasting presence of learned knowledge and skills.
Lectures can be nice, when the professor is good and the pace is right. Often though you’ll get a professor who is only okay or worse, or the pace will be to fast and you’ll be lost, or too slow and you’ll get bored. Still, I see how once could claim how lectures are necessary for getting out some introductory theoretical info, especially in the sciences.
Effectiveness of this sort of teaching method would vary with different levels of instructor involvement, I’d bet. I’ve seen that in my courses involving Design Thinking and similar approaches.
I think learning using PBL would be effective in different ways and to different extents in other sorts of fields as well.
Hey,
Saw this and am actually a graduating from UCM this year. I personally think PBL is a great system. It really engages you, allows to ask questions if you do not understand, and activates new ideas. You might have missed something in a reader that someone else did catch. Different interpretations of a text are also to be discussed and can be very interesting.
There’s always a tutor with expertise in the room itself that follows the discussion and guides where you miss something as a tutorial group. They make sure everything is covered and that the information that is discussed is actually correct. Nevertheless, as everyone does thorough research the bulk of the information that is discussed by the students is already correct, which allows for elaboration on points you and your group deem interesting.
I’ve learned much more from PBL than from lectures personally and wouldn’t want to switch back. PBL really teaches you to explain and elaborate your points, to talk and discuss meaningfully, rather than just listen and absord.
Also, UCM is a really great environment both academically and socially; definitely the best choice I could’ve made for my undergrad. It’s a really great, no-judgement zone where you are free to pursue whatever interests you have. Next to that the college has a great standing and as a result allows for great opportunities at great places for a potential masters degree, delivering every year a substantial amount to Oxbridge, LSE and other interesting places. Definitely recommend. Feel free to shoot me a message if you want more information.
Hi MaasCol, I got accepted into UM this year and Im deciding whether to go there or Groningen. Erasmus University is actually my first choice but can you tell me more about the city and school of Maastricht. Is it very quite and is there some night life? How is the social life, its just that I expect it to be on the quieter side because it is a traditional European country but I prefer busy areas like Rotterdam. It would be great if you could help me and give me your feed back on your experience on UM.