Simply stated, Problem-Based Learning (or PBL) is an approach to learning and instruction in which students are assigned real-life problems that must be solved in small teams. The problem guides the learning process. In HSC 400, teams will work toward solving one policy problem over the course of the entire semester.
The goal of the course is to deepen students’ understanding of health policy and to improve each student’s ability to learn, retain, integrate, and apply knowledge toward solving a real-life policy problem. There is no single correct answer to the problem you will be assigned—and that’s the exciting part! Be creative. Be bold. Be innovative. Be thorough and think deeply—that is the challenge and fun of HSC 400.
The path to the right solution will (hopefully!) not be obvious—but we will collectively puzzle through this problem, working together in the weekly lecture meetings to develop our analytical, research, and critical thinking skills, while working on the specific problem in the tutorial sections and in our teams. In this regard, the problem-solving process will require that each student and each team works to improve communication and teamwork skills over the course of the semester.