Doc.dr. Rasa Balvoit, doc.dr.

Dalia Rudyt, lekt.dr. Janina

eputien ir lekt. Jrat
Marciauskien
Workshop on Problem Based and Project
Based Learning
2013 April 2 - 6

 This five-day internship

was organized within the

framework of the project
The Preparing and
Implementation of First
Degree International
Joint Study Programme
Economics and
Sustainable Business.
The goal of this

internship - to acquire
knowledge of Problem
based learning method,
its principles and
features.

 The place of internship:

The UNESCO Chair in

Problem Based Learning,
Aalborg University,
Denmark.

Anette Kolmos, chairholder for UNESCO

chair in Problem Based Learning,
Aalborg University, informed visitors
about Aalborg University study system,
departments, programs, student
learning conditions. All university
study programs are based on a unique
model of teaching and learning: the
problem-based, project-organized
model also referred to as PBL - The
Aalborg model.

The PBL-Aalborg Model gives the

students the possibility for
independent learning to achieve
knowledge and skills at a high
academic level. Many students also
have the possibility of working with the
business community to solve real-life
problems. The learning model also
helps the students learn, how to
analyze problems, how to work resultoriented and finally how to do
successful work within a team.

This method with some limitations can

be adopted in the joint study program.

Professor Erik de Graaf

introduced the
evaluation system.

 He explained how

prepared projects are

defended at the end of
the semester and how
examiners assess
individual student
performance within the
context of the group
project work.

 Professor introduced

research in PBL results

which help to ensure
that the model responds
well to the demands and
changes posed by the
surrounding society and
changes in the
education area.

 The problem based

learning method in joint

study program
Economics and
Sustainable Business will
help students to develop
analytical and reflective
thinking skills, project
management skills,
improve skills of
collaboration and team
work, they will learn how
successfully address the
inevitable conflicts that
arise in collaborative
work.

 Professor Jette

Egelund Holgaard
presented the
peculiarities of
working with firstyear students.

 All programs include

first-term academic
work that introduces
and orients students
to the problem and
project based
educational model.
This work addresses
e.g. learning theory,
problem definition,
project management,
conflict management,
and approaches to
collaborative work.

 We can adopt this

experience, teaching
first-year students
how to formulate the
problem and how to
prepare project plan.
This can be
implemented in the
courses :
Microeconomics,
Macroeconomics,
Business Finances,
Business accounting,
Management, Human
Resources Economics,
and etc.

Lars Bo Henriksen
introduced the benefits
of PBL method:
Problem and project

based approach can

be effectively
implemented at
various study
programs;

 Students develop

strong competencies
in problem
formulation, selfreflection, metacognition, and
collaboration.
Students are

encouraged to
integrate knowledge
from across the
traditional disciplines
in the project work in
order to analyze and
solve the problem.

 PBL develops lifelong

learning skills.

At the Faculty of Business and Management

employees shared the experience gained
through the PBL method implementation. It
should be noted that this faculty is
especially international, because more than
two-thirds of students are young people
from around the world. Communication with
students revealed that problem-based
learning allows them to share their different
experiences and solve common problems,
such as environment protection, sustainable
development, and so on.

 Professor Mona-Lisa

Dahms introduced
how teachers,
supervisors,
administrative stuff
are trained to apply
PBL method.
Aalborg university

has several study

programs for
preparing specialists
in PBL.

 We had discussions

after each
presentation. The
discussions with
students were
especially useful.
Students expressed
their views on the
PBL method in the
study process.

 Aalborg University

has students and

educators from
around the world.
Each group of
students working in
PBL method is
international, its
members come with
different experiences,
attitudes, cultural
traditions. Working
together, they learn
to cooperate in
seeking joint
solutions to solve the
problems that require

knowledge in
international law,
management,
economics and other
fields. Students
develop joint projects
in which even large
international
companies are
interested in.
International
experience is
acquired not only by
students but by
teachers also:
university has
teachers from

different European
countries: Germany,
Austria, Sweden,
Belgium.

 During internship we

acquired a deeper
understanding about
PBL, its principles,
features, what
conditions are
required, what
competences are
gained, how
assessment and
evaluation processes
are organized, what
are benefits and
risks.

 Gained knowledge

will be useful for

implementing PBL
method in Joint Study
Programme
Economics and
Sustainable Business.