Working towards innovative practitioners: problem-based learning at Bahrain Polytechnic

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) at Bahrain Polytechnic in developing graduates who are innovative practitioners. The key research questions addressed are: what the most effective PBL approach is at Bahrain Polytechnic and how PBL can be enhanced to ultimately deliver on Bahrain Polytechnic‟s graduate profile, which includes innovation and entrepreneurship amongst its employability skills. The main reason for the implementation of PBL is that research shows that it is well-placed to develop the kinds of „soft skills‟ that employers frequently say they need in their employees. In addition however, PBL promises to go beyond employability alone, and it is hoped that a number of graduates will apply what they have learned to develop the Bahraini economy into new and innovative directions. This paper evaluates a number of initial cases of teachers who have adopted PBL as their primary teaching method in their classrooms, and have presented their experiences in seminar form. In combination with the literature review, this is then used to draw some preliminary conclusions about the effectiveness of PBL and to make some recommendations about the promising transferable elements of these experiences, especially in the context of the Gulf.