What Are Problem-Based Pedagogies?

Since its inception in the 1980s, problem-based learning (PBL) has developed in diverse ways worldwide, yet there has been relatively little mapping of its theories, practice, or disciplinary differences. This has led to confusion within the academic community about which constellation to adopt, or what would be the best fit for a given curriculum. The argument of this paper is that many PBL curricula focus on ‘tracing’ and ‘tracing over’ other forms of PBL, yet what is needed is a shift toward imaginative curricula. It will explore where PBL curricula are we now, what is getting in the way, how and PBL pedagogies might be re- delineated.