Book Review Technology and Problem-Based Learning (Uden &Beaumont 2006)

Six Thinking Hats

The Yellow Hat

Identifying the positives or benefits of the book

Some of the positives present by Uden and Beaumont include creating a guide for

educators to incorporate technology and PBL in the classroom. It is more useful as a way of

learning what PBL is however, and how to create PBL lesson in a classroom. The technology

aspect is not touched on as much as explaining, PBL and designing a set of lessons to use this

method in the classroom.

The Black Hat

Weighing the negatives

The purpose of the book is to help show how to apply PBL and technology in the

classroom based on the title, and in short, the book does this. By short, it is really short. Only one

section of the book deals with the technology aspect of PBL, not what was expected from the

title to me. This section is helpful in establishing some PBL lessons that are enhanced by

technology, but the title of the book is misleading. Of the 300+ pages of text roughly 20 deal

with the technology aspect.

The Red Hat

Analyzing the emotions, biases, or feelings of the authors or readers

The Authors show a clear favoritism to the PBL model and have a strong dislike of the

more common behavioral teaching methods of a teacher centered, lectured based classroom. The

information they present on PBL is informative however even with the bias you can interpret in

the writing. Also as mentioned earlier the title is a little misleading is more of a book discussing
PBL and applications in the classroom including technology, but technology does not need to be

in the title, very little actually deals with technology.

The White Hat

Evaluating the information

The information presented in the book is information and easy to follow. It does not

really jump right into the material; it gives a descent amount of background initial for someone

who may not be familiar with PBL. The book begins by comparing traditional vs. cognitive

learning, before explaining what PBL is. The next sections describe why instructors should

implement PBL, a tutors role in PBL, how to prepare the students for PBL, the tutorial and

assessment progress and how to integrate e-learning technology.

Early in the book behavioral and cognitive based learning are explain in detail to

establish the current trends of tutors, which to us is a teacher (think the authors are based out of

Britain due to some of the words and vocabulary used in the book.). It provides a definition that

to me states very clearly, what PBL is. PBL is both a curriculum and a process. The curriculum

consists of carefully selected and designed problems that demand, from the learner, acquisition

of critical thinking, problem-solving proficiency, self-directed learning strategies, and team

participation skills. The process replicates commonly used approaches to solving problems

encountered in real life. In addition to traditional assessment methods, peer and self-assessment

are also important. (p. 33)

The Green Hat

Examining the creative or innovative ideas

 At the time of the book, 2006, some of the creative or innovative ideas using technology

might have been innovative, but in the last 11 years innovations of technology have outgrown the

scope of this book.

The Blue Hat

Evaluating the process, conclusions, or implications

The processes the book describing PBL and how it is used with student groups working

together to solve a problem are beneficial. The implications of the book could be better by

incorporating more technology and updating it to some of the new technologies that are

available. Overall, the book is a good tool at understanding and implementing PBL in the

classroom, but additional text or information would be needed to incorporate additional

technology.