论文总字数：44945字

摘 要

本文在研究基于问题的学习模型的基础上，探讨了合作学习作为一种新的学习方法。“基于问题的学习” (Problem-Based Learning， 以下简称PBL)是起源于20世纪60年代加拿大医学教育领域的一种教学模式，随后被推广到教育学、管理学、工程学、心理学等其他专业的教学中。本论文通过PBL模式的意义和其发展开始，论述其重要性。然后，通过与当今中学生英语阅读教学的对比，发现该模式的教学理论和其遵循的教学策略的适用性。PBL模式的应用必定会对于老师提出要求，这不仅仅是老师自身的挑战，也是对于教育系统的挑战。论文通过一例中学生英语阅读教学上PBL模式的应用，更加进一步的了解其如何融入课堂。论文在分析该模式的影响和存在的问题时，采取多元视角，研究PBL模式的优势和劣势。

关键词：中学生英语阅读教学；PBL模式；优势和劣势

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 3

3. The Theory of Problem-Based Learning 4

3.1 The meaning of problem-based learning 4

3.2 The development about problem-based learning 5

3.3 The differences between PBL and other teaching methods 7

3.4 The function of the teachers 9

4. The Application of Problem-Based Learning 10

4.1 Pre-reading 11

4.2 While-reading 11

4.3 Post-reading 13

5. The Influence of Problem-Based Learning 14

6. Conclusion 15

Works Cited 18

1. Introduction

With the development of the times, the exchanges between countries become more and more frequent. Since the beginning of the 21st century, China has accelerated the popularization of secondary education , and the scale of secondary education continues to expand rapidly. Secondary education in China is no longer limited to the subject knowledge of middle school learners, but to cultivate the all-round development of middle school learners. Middle school learners can master subject education knowledge through secondary education, but more importantly, they can cultivate skills and abilities. In general, after years of untiring efforts, the development of secondary school education in our country has made great achievements. Although China"s secondary education has achieved great successes, it also faces some fresh challenges and problems. The quality of secondary education has attracted the attention of middle schools and governments, and constantly improve the educational mechanism in the existing level of education. In order to comprehensively improve the quality of secondary education, we not only need to increase the investment and the level of funds safeguard, but also further deepen the reform, especially the reform in the field of education in middle schools, and fundamentally change teacher-centered, textbook-centered, and the classroom-centered teaching modes and teaching methods, so as to improve teaching and learning effect. (Tian 3) With the help of western advanced educational thought, the middle school education in China can be improved.

Problem-based Learning (hereinafter referred to as PBL) is a kind of university teaching concept and teaching organization mode explored by western countries in the process of education transformation. PBL has been recognized by the educational circles in the field of university teaching, and it also provides the basis for the application of PBL teaching mode to the popular teaching. The nine-year compulsory education enables educators to draw lessons from foreign countries for excellent teaching ideas and to apply them in the light of the present situation of secondary education in China. Secondary education is to enable the educated to constantly improve themselves, cultivate independent personality, so as to carry out teaching activities. PBL teaching model is in line with the educational concept of secondary education and can promote the establishment of a good teacher-learner relationship. (Du 3) PBL is a new teaching mode that takes questions as the core, problem solving as the driving force, group elaboration, demonstration, discussion and mutual communication as the means. It can stimulate the enthusiasm of learners to learn independently, with the main goal of cultivating learners" innovative thinking. The teaching objective of PBL is to highlight the cultivation of learners" independent self-study ability, innovative thinking ability, data organization ability and innovative ability. The model advocates "problem first, learning later". This concept challenges the teaching-centered view and advocates learner-centered learning under the guidance and promotion of teachers. As a teaching model, it advocates learning from practice and experience, mastering knowledge and developing skills simultaneously, respecting learners" self-development and encouraging teamwork. Learners need to take the initiative to find problems, use multidisciplinary knowledge to comprehensively analyze problems, systematically provide a variety of feasible ways to solve problems, scientifically verify the proposed solutions, and reflect on the learning experience to make self-evaluation. (Fogarty 13) In the process of interdisciplinary learning, learners actively participate in the creation of new knowledge so as to promote the cultivation of their innovative spirit and the development of creativity. In the development of theoretical research and practical exploration in the past 50 years, PBL, based on constructivism learning theory, has stood out in the wave of teaching reform, showing its creativity and vitality more and more. The diverse practice of PBL in different countries, regions and educational institutions at different levels has brought challenges to the unification of its definitions and concepts. In different times, the meaning and practice of PBL are developing and changing.

The diverse practice of PBL in different countries, regions and educational institutions at different levels has brought challenges to the unification of its definitions and concepts. In different times, the meaning and practice of PBL are also developing. In the West, PBL has become very popular as a teaching model. It is different from the traditional teacher-centered teaching mode and other popular teaching modes, and more in line with the development trend of China"s curriculum teaching reform.

2. Literature Review

PBL is an educational strategy, which refers to a teaching model in which learners are actively organized to participate and find their own answers to questions in the process of guiding learners to learn. Since ancient times, great educational thinkers have advocated that learners get real knowledge through practice. Socrates, for example, believes that learners can learn tacit knowledge through the "question-and-answer method", while ancient philosophers in China emphasize the relationship between "learning" and "doing". As a model of this study, Killpatrick was regarded as the originator of project learning education in the early 20th century. Through his observations, Killpatrick found that learners" enthusiasm for project work was related to the degree of freedom they were given, and the greater the space given to them to choose, the more enthusiastic they are. Therefore, we can understand Killpatrick"s view that the effectiveness of the implementation of the project depends on "dedicated learning".

In recent years, the research on PBL emerges in endlessly at home and abroad. Savery believes that problem-based learning is a process in which learners use their own background knowledge and experience, integrate theory and practice, and propose feasible solutions to specific problems. (Du 4) Melovitz-vasanetal believes that PBL is a teaching method that enables learners to find and solve problems with the help of group cooperation. It can improve the ability of the learners to analyze and solve the problem, and further develop the critical thinking of the learners. (Du 6) In China, Song Jun and Cheng Lian believe that PBL is a complete way of education, a way of learning for learners and a way of teaching for teachers. (Du 14) In carefully selected and designed specific problem situations, learners can actively learn relevant knowledge according to their own knowledge background and experience, use learning strategies and team cooperation skills to improve their ability to find and solve problems, and improve their comprehensive quality.

To sum up, PBL is not only a learning method, but also a teaching method. In this thesis, it is defined as problem teaching method. Through team cooperation and different types of questions or tasks, PBL method guides learners to take the initiative to found the problem, actively explore and solve problems. It can make learners deeply understand, master and apply knowledge, realize the overall development of their personality, and prompt learners to effectively solve the problem. This teaching method can improve learners" ability to analyze and solve problems, develop learners" teamwork, critical thinking and creativity, stimulate learners" interest in English reading and improve their English reading ability. This is why the PBL model gradually broadens its application from the medical field and develops from higher education to secondary education.

3. The Theory of Problem-Based Learning

How to guide learners have a better chance to acquire knowledge depends on the specific situation, so the education concepts such as "learn from discovery", "learn from behavior", "learn from the experience" and "learner-centered" and so on are explicitly proposed that education should be excavated curiosity and sense of self-control and self-decided human characteristics. In response to the long neglect of teaching methods in secondary education, many schools have held a large number of lectures challenging traditional education. (Wang 21) In these educational reforms, PBL model has finally come to be known and achieved some results.

3.1 The meaning of problem-based learning

PBL is a learner-centered approach in which learners learn about a subject by solving the open questions found in the trigger material. The PBL process does not focus on problem solving with a defined solution, but it allows for the development of other desirable skills and attributes. This includes knowledge acquisition, enhanced group collaboration and communication. (Tian 89) The PBL process was developed for medical education and has since been broadened in applications for other programs of learning. The process allows for learners to develop skills used for their future practice. It enhances critical appraisal, literature retrieval and encourages ongoing learning within a team environment.

Working in small groups of learners is a part of the PBL course process. Each learner takes on a role within the group that may be formal or informal and the role often alternates. It is focused on the learner"s reflection and reasoning in order to construct their learning. The Maastricht seven-jump process involves clarifying terms, defining problems, brainstorming, structuring and hypothesis, learning objectives, independent study and synthesis. In short, it is determining what they knew, what they should know, and how and where to get new information that could lead to problem solving. The role of the tutor is to facilitate learning by supporting, leading, and controlling the learning process. The tutor aims to build learners’ confidence when addressing problems, while also expanding their understanding. This process is based on constructivism. PBL represents a paradigm shift from traditional teaching and learning philosophy, which is more often lecture-based. The constructs for teaching PBL are very different from traditional classroom or lecture teaching and often require more preparation time and resources to support small group learning.

The overall goal of English courses in compulsory education stage is to cultivate learners" preliminary comprehensive language application ability, promote their mental development and improve their comprehensive humanistic quality through English learning. The formation of comprehensive language use ability is based on the overall development of language skills, language knowledge, emotional attitude, learning strategies and cultural awareness. The knowledge and skills of language is the foundation of comprehensive language use ability. Cultural awareness is propitious to correct understanding and proper use of language; Positive emotional attitude is propitious to promoting learners" active learning and sustainable development. Effective learning strategies are conducive to improving learning efficiency and developing independent learning ability. These five aspects complement each other and jointly promote the formation and development of comprehensive language use ability. Junior middle school learners should reach level three target. There are such requirements in level three target: First, learners can try to use different educational resources. Question-based teaching method requires learners to use the Internet or go to the library to look up relevant materials and other ways to expand their knowledge and solve their own problems, which meets the requirements of the curriculum standards. Second, the level three target requires learners to help each other, overcome and solve difficulties in learning. Problem teaching method requires learners to cooperate in groups, discuss and solve problems together, and help each other and make progress together. The third level requires learners to be able to express their simple ideas in simple language. Question-based teaching requires learners to discuss in groups, which can promote learners" language expression level to a certain extent.

3.2 The development about problem-based learning

The PBL process was pioneered by Barrows and Tamblyn at the medical school program at McMaster University in Hamilton in the 1960s. Traditional medical education disenchanted learners, who perceived the vast amount of material presented in the first three years of medical school as having little relevance to the practice of medicine and clinically based medicine. The PBL curriculum was developed in order to stimulate learning by allowing learners to see the relevance and application to future roles. It maintains a higher level of motivation towards learning, and shows the importance of responsible, professional attitudes with teamwork values. The motivation for learning drives interest because it allows for selection of problems that have real-world application. Problem-based learning has subsequently been adopted by other medical school programs adapted for undergraduate instruction, as well as K-12. (Fogarty 104) The use of PBL has expanded from its initial introduction into medical school programs to include education in the areas of other health sciences, math, law, education, economics, business, social studies, and engineering. PBL includes problems that can be solved in many different ways depending on the initial identification of the problem and may have more than one solution.

In the 1970s there was also a movement in the social sciences that focused on the possibility that the PBL model could be one of the factors driving social change. This was consistent with the actual situation in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and other countries at that time. Learning ability and mastering new skills have become the advantages of social development. Since 1980"s, the PBL model has developed rapidly in North America. By 1991, 70% of the medical colleges in the United States had adopted the PBL teaching method to varying degrees. After the 1990s, some medical schools in Europe began to experiment with the PBL course. In 1994, the Manchester Medical College, England, adopted the PBL model in the teaching of grade 1 and 4 in an all-round way. The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, which now accounts for 60% of all medical education at the University of Hong Kong, introduced the method in 1997. (Du 138) According to the WHO, more than 1700 medical schools around the world are currently using the PBL model, and that number is on the rise. In our country, in recent years, many medical educators have applied or used the PBL teaching mode for reference in the teaching of some medical courses, and have made beneficial attempts and explorations, and gained some experience.

3.3 The differences between PBL and other teaching methods

To understand, apply and popularize this teaching mode, we need to compare and contrast the commonly used teaching methods to further explore:

3.3.1 The differences between PBL and TBLT

Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) refers to the teaching that teachers conduct by guiding learners to complete tasks in class. It also emphasizes "learning by doing" and "learner-centered", which is the development of communicative teaching method. However, there are obvious differences between PBL and TBLT:

First, the place of implementation and the people involved are different. The place where the task-based approach is implemented is the classroom, involving only professional teachers and classmates. PBL is implemented in both classroom and out-of-class venues, including libraries, networks, dormitories and real work environments, etc. Self-study under class is the main way for individuals to construct knowledge and ability system; In addition to mentoring teachers and classmates, there may be other teachers in this field, teachers in other specialties, learners in other classes and experts in other fields. Second, teachers have different roles and requirements. The teacher in the task-based language teaching method is a professional teacher. He may be a participant in the task, and he may also be the supervisor and director of the task. The PBL teacher is only a guide to the learners" learning, and cannot impart professional knowledge and skills. Many PBL team mentors are not professional teachers, but other subject teachers and even learners themselves. Some studies have shown that non-expert teachers in PBL can motivate learners to participate in learning more actively than expert teachers. Third, teaching aims are different. Task-based approach enhances learners" understanding of language appropriateness by setting realistic tasks to enable learners to fully feel the relationship between language form and function as well as language and context in the performance of tasks. The acquisition of PBL language knowledge and skills is only one of many teaching objectives. PBL learners should master the ability of using language knowledge to solve practical problems, autonomous learning ability, qualified professional accomplishment and long-term knowledge retention. Obviously, PBL sets the teaching objectives more deeply and further than the task-based approach. From the above three main differences, we can derive a lot of differences between PBL and task-based teaching method. Task-based language teaching method can be used as a supplement to PBL teaching, but it can not replace PBL.

3.3.2 The difference with case teaching method

Both PBL and case teaching method (CM) are relatively new in China. They share a common theoretical basis, namely, constructivist teaching concept. Therefore, they have many similarities in teaching ideas and procedures, which are easy to be confused.

First, the base Settings are different. CM is based on the case, independent analysis and mutual discussion around the case; PBL emphasizes problem based. learners learn and master the knowledge and ability hidden behind the problems by discovering and solving practical problems independently and cooperatively. Secondly, teachers have different roles. The basic unit in CM is the case. The whole discussion of learners is conducted under the guidance of teachers. Teachers must be familiar with and study cases, extract the key points and difficulties, organize learners to analyze, discuss cases and solve problems. Therefore, teachers in CM must be professional teachers. The basic unit of PBL is problem. learners discover and solve problems independently. Teachers are just guides, not necessarily professional teachers. Finally, it is different from the teacher-centered teaching method. CM was applied early in China and can be easily integrated with the teacher-centered teaching method. PBL is a newer teaching method in China, which emphasizes the learner-centered approach and the construction of knowledge and ability through individual efforts. Many teachers and scholars in China tend to combine the two. However, on the one hand, it has not been long since PBL mode was applied to China"s teaching practice, so it is too early to discuss its advantages and disadvantages. On the other hand, the relationship with the teacher-centered teaching method is only related to the obstacles in teaching reform and has nothing to do with the teaching method itself. In English teaching, PBL mode is more suitable for the acquisition of English language knowledge and practical application skills.

3.3.3 The difference with heuristic teaching method

According to the teaching goal, the content, the learner"s knowledge level and the knowledge rule, the heuristic teaching uses each kind of teaching method to impart the knowledge, raise the ability, and cause the learner to study positively. Teaching relative to the traditional teacher-centered teaching mode pays attention to the knowledge infusion and injection, ignoring the subject status of learners in study and their subjective motility. Heuristic teaching, through various means and ways to inspire learners" positive thinking, to mobilize learners" learning initiative and enthusiasm, guides the learner to utilize the scientific way of thinking to find, analyze and solve the problem, put forward their own unique insights. Heuristic teaching is not so much a teaching method as a teaching guiding ideology and teaching principles, so any teaching mode and method must reflect the heuristic teaching thought. In the process of PBL learning, teachers put forward appropriate questions and evaluate learners" learning effects in response to learners" speeches and feedbacks, so as to guide learners" learning activities to the depths and enable learners to continuously find and solve new problems, which fully embodies the essence of heuristic teaching. Compared with heuristic teaching, PBL is superior in emphasizing learners" subject consciousness and learning initiative.

3.4 The function of the teachers

In PBL, learners are actively learning, and this does not mean neglecting the role of teachers. Whether teachers can use promoting teaching skills is decisive to the effect of PBL. The role of teachers relates mainly to the following two categories:

3.4.1 Guiding function

It includes providing feedback, asking questions and inspiring learners" reasoning process, encouraging their critical evaluation of information, and helping learners coordinate and integrate basic knowledge and practical skills in problem discussion. At the beginning of the course, teachers should not ask questions, but guide learners to find the questions and let learners answer their own questions. (Zhang 98) It is not easy to judge whether the answer is right or wrong, but to guide learners to find the correct answer to the question for self-correction.

3.4.2 Encouraging function

The teacher encourages learners to control and adjust the learning process and establish good group membership. The teacher guides the learners through the PBL stages, monitors group activities to ensure that all learners are involved, encourages them to speak out about their thought processes, and encourages them to comment on each other. Teachers should play the role of model and coach. Teachers demonstrate high-level thinking skills by asking questions that inspire learners to think deeply. For example, as facilitators, teachers often ask, “Why? What do you mean? How do you know it"s right? ”. The teacher needs to have a broad understanding of the problem and see if the group"s understanding is consistent to demonstrate critical thinking. In addition, the teacher will demonstrate how to evaluate their reasoning and comprehension skills.

Teachers usually do not directly express their views to learners or provide relevant information, and try not to use their knowledge of this content to ask questions that can "lead" learners to the correct answer. Instead, they often ask questions about planning, monitoring, controlling, and evaluating activities in the problem-solving process, rather than specific areas of knowledge, such as, “What questions should we ask at this point? ”“What else do you need to know? ” “How do we figure this out? ” “Is the group in agreement with each other? ”And so on. At the beginning of the group activity, the teacher needs to play a more supportive role, and as the activity goes on, he will gradually retire and give way to learners" independent exploration more. A good facilitator does not limit learners" exploration of all possible uncharted territory, but he carefully guides learners to key aspects of the problem space to make better use of the learning opportunities offered by the problem. (Zhang 98)

4. The Application of Problem-Based Learning

In order to get a better understanding of the PBL teaching model, the following is the design of the teaching plan for the reading part of Oxford English 9A unit 6 "22-year-old Computer Programmer found guilty", a news report about a murder. Such articles are often seen in newspapers and magazines, and themes related to murder are often featured in films. The challenge for the reader is to guess who the criminal is before the detective reveals the truth, and the ending is often full of surprises:

4.1 Pre-reading

1. Song introduction. The teacher first asked the learners to listen to the end of the film "Detective Conan" to arouse the learners" enthusiasm for learning, and then asked questions according to the film: "If you are a detective, what are the most important things for cases? " To encourage learners to speak freely, this activity focuses learners" attention on the subject of murder in this article, and the teacher can ask questions: "What do you think this article is about? " Let the learners naturally enter the specific situation of this article and prepare for formal reading.

2. Read the chart prediction. The author guides the learners to read the title of the article and three pictures of murder, and thinks about the following questions:

(1) What do you think will happen in this stony?

(2) What makes you think so?

(3) Do you think the policemen will catch the murderer?

The purpose of this link is to quickly activate the existing knowledge information diagrams in the minds of learners to encourage them to make bold predictions of the content of reading materials through prepared questions. The teacher gives learners the freedom to imagine. When communicating and discussing problems, learners are allowed to make false predictions because they can correct them through later reading. This activity has greatly stimulated learners" interest in reading because they want to verify that their predictions are correct through the next reading.

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