ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an accessible and practical introduction to problem-based learning (PBL) for teachers of psychology. Problem-based learning, which originated in medical education, is a form of teaching that encourages students to apply their understandings of the subject to tackle real world issues. Since there are no certain answers to such issues, PBL enables students to use their critical thinking skills. The chapter is based on earlier work by the author who developed a resource called Psychology Applied Learning Scenarios (PALS). These are mainly text-based vignettes (TBVs) which are designed to encourage students to apply what they have learned in designated areas of psychology. Text-based vignettes are not new; in fact, they are used in many exam questions for A and AS level Psychology, albeit in a truncated form. The TBVs described here are longer and more complex to try and represent some aspect of real life that psychology can explain. The chapter includes advice on how to design effective TBVs; practical examples and suggestions are made for how they may be used in a variety of educational contexts such as the classroom, and in assessment.
