The International Hospitality Management Code ... - Stenden Rangsit

2A.3 Views on learning and teaching
View on learning and education
The Stenden university uses Problem Based Learning (PBL) in its courses. In Problem Based
Learning, learning is thought to be the process of actively acquiring and processing information
that changes the behaviour of the student in a relatively irrevocable way. This acquired
knowledge, being of a cognitive nature, may also be of an affective or psychomotor nature.
We have chosen to use PBL and CBL (Case based learning) in our courses as this approach
supports our view on learning and requires an active study attitude on the part of the students.
Our primary motive for choosing PBL is the fact that in PBL the individual student is responsible
for what and how he/she learns. An educational system that compels students to study actively
is generally more motivating than a system that does not encourage active study.
PBL changes a student‟s attitude towards studying that may lead to a life long increase in selfstudy
and personal responsibility. During PBL sessions, students learn that their current
knowledge is often not sufficient to address the problem they are confronted with. Through the
PBL process, the students learn the problem solving process that will allow them to tackle
problems in future (professional) situations.
The secondary motives for choosing PBL are:
Social motive: Working on PBL tasks in small study groups stimulates the development of
co-operation.
Educational-didactic motive: The PBL method „forces‟ students to develop personal discipline
and an on going working rhythm.
Educational contents and methodical motive: As opposed to the lecture/exam approach in
which students often learn only specific significant information, the PBL approach stimulates
gaining a broad array of knowledge by presenting a carefully chosen problem as a starting
point. It promotes the integration of various disciplines. In addition to acquiring knowledge
and skills, the PBL session gives the student the opportunity to practice and use the
knowledge and skills gained.
Didactic principles
An educational institution willing to give a didactic form to the above views on the relationship
between education and the field, future developments, and learning and teaching, should be
aware of the tension that exists between the freedom of the PBL group on the one hand, and
the need for uniform objectives for all students on the other hand. Group education only works
well if the personal responsibility and initiative of the students is stimulated and respected. PBL
groups deal extensively with subjects such as co-operation, learning how to formulate, problem
solving, and decision-making.
From a didactic point of view, the above is expressed in the educational objectives of the
programme. The objectives describe:
What problem definitions students should work on during the educational process.
Which cognitive and social skills students should realise.
The primary conditions considered when organising educational situations are:
Activation of the student‟s prior knowledge - refers to the starting position of the students;
Relationship to the hospitality field - refers to offering students tasks in a context that
resembles the future professional practice as much as possible;
Active participation and application of knowledge by the students.
These three conditions are met in the problem-based approach to learning. Problem based
education recognises and emphasises the interactive aspect of learning. Learning using a
problem stimulates students to discuss study and use their knowledge. A well-formed learning
arrangement contains tasks and assignments to be worked on in the PBL group, small groups,
and other interactive didactic methods such as laboratory courses and tutorials.
Problem based learning meets the third condition when, during the process of learning,
analysing the problem and acquiring knowledge takes place systematically and through
established procedures.
Other, more secondary, conditions essential for a successful problem based learning process
concern:
The knowledge a student has about PBL before he/she starts a study using this concept,
The skills of the student for co-operation with other students in a PBL group with an
alternating chair(wo)manship;
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