ABSTRACT
Guiding students through the problem-based learning (PBL) process is often a challenging element of PBL. The range of literature and research on the effect of different tutoring styles on students’ learning, on group functioning, and group dynamics all point to the important influence of the tutor in the PBL process (Barrows, 1988; Connolly, 2009; Neville, 1999; Savin-Baden & Howell Major, 2004; Schmidt & Moust, 2000; Silén, 2006). In this chapter, we bring our knowledge, experiences, and research of PBL tutoring together and suggest some useful strategies for inspired and effective tutoring. This chapter focuses on four elements of the PBL process that tutors need to consider and understand, namely: problem analysis, the group process, students’ learning processes and developing students’ metacognitive processes. New concepts of tutoring are introduced, such as the tutors’ ability to be “present” during the tutorials, along with strategies to achieve attentiveness during tutorials. Research on students’ evaluations and perceptions of their PBL tutors also provide fresh insights into tutor behaviours. Students' perceptions of their tutor https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203846926/45dd1ee3-23b2-409c-b9a0-337ddcb2f3d5/content/fig16_1.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> (Silén, 2006, p. 375).
