Problem-based learning - is it right for Sri Lanka?

Abstract

Employers in the ICT sector in Sri Lanka are concerned about the soft skills of the graduates they employ. The training sector is aware of their concerns but find it challenging to nurture the appropriate skills and attitudes in students used to traditional, teacher-centred learning environments. Elsewhere in the world, problem-based learning has provided a solution for similar scenarios. However the learning environment in the Sri Lankan university sector challenges some of the basic assumptions generally made in implementing PBL i.e. that there will be free and open dialogue between students, that student teams will recognise each other as equal peers, that facilities to accommodate small group work can be made available. This paper describes a partially successful venture to introduce PBL to the public university system in Sri Lanka and identifies modifications that need to be made to the model in future implementations.