Problem-based Learning in Professional Social Work Education: relevance to Adult Professional Learning

Abstract

Colleagues from the HKU Department of Social Work and Social Administration (SW Dept) attempted to shift from the conventional mode of teaching to the Problem-based Learning (PBL) mode from 1999. PBL has been widely adopted in professional education in various fields in different countries. The HKU SW Dept endeavored to launch PBL mode of teaching-and-learning in its Master of Social Work (MSW) and Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs with different modes. The author, synthesizing his experience in teaching both in conventional lecture-type and the PBL mode, at both the MSW and BSW levels, derives some insights on the relevance of PBL in professional adult learning (APL). It is found that there is a host of strengths in the PBL mode, which is particularly relevant to APL. PBL promotes better integration of prepositional knowledge and engenders the development and acquisition of practical or process knowledge. It also facilitates the learners’ better use of personal knowledge. The group format used in PBL tutorials enhances collaborative learning amongst a group of learners. The use of PBL also serves to strike a balance between diagnostic and agnostic mode of thinking in the students. The engagement in mutual sharing and argumentation promotes the development of students’ reflective learning and critical thinking. PBL puts the onus of learning upon the students, thus helps to promote students’ motivation of learning. This article highlights the essential features in the interface between PBL and APL, in the context of social work education in Hong Kong.