PBL Promotion Support Center

Establishing a base and network for implementing PBL (problem-based learning) education and research

Today’s students, who grow up in the information age, are generally highly capable in the area of information technology, such as information processing, but on the other hand, due to a lack of real-world experience, they sometimes perform less well in identifying and solving problems using known information and technologies. It appears that this characteristic is becoming more and more pronounced every year. Therefore, it is recommended that in university education an output-oriented approach, which cultivates an ability to pose and solve problems, is further strengthened, in addition to an input-oriented approach focusing on the acquisition of information and skills. Doshisha University, which embraces its founding spirit of conscience education, believes that fostering individuals who know the right thing, and who can do the right thing, is its educational mission and corresponds with what is required of universities today.

In 2004, under the slogan ‘bringing the educational power of society into a university’, Doshisha University decided to offer about 25 project subject classes across all faculties to ensure a wide range of learning opportunities, with instructors recruited from outside the campus. In collaboration with long established local communities, the university has strived to foster students with ‘project management literacy’ by positively utilizing an educational power inherent in society consisting of multi-age groups. In addition, PBL has been adopted in specialized areas of faculties and graduate schools, as well as in extracurricular and career support activities.

However, due to the diversity of PBL implementation inside and outside the campus, neither the systematic theory building of PBL nor the methodology of PBL in higher education has yet been established. To provide students with practical and comprehensive learning experience in a wide range of fields, PBL education based on collaboration with local communities, as well as an interactive evaluation and feedback system, is crucial. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ensuring the quality of undergraduate education, it is necessary to adopt a practical credit system and clarify the assessment of academic achievement. In order to systematically address such challenges, Doshisha University set about improving the learning environment centered around project subjects, as well as the methodological verification of various PBL educational projects, by establishing the PBL Promotion and Support Center as a base for promoting the theory and practice of PBL as an educational method.

Address

Ryoshinkan Building, Imadegawa Campus
Karasuma-higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi 602-8580

Access (Imadegawa Campus)

Campus Map (PBL Promotion Support Center : Ryoshinkan Building)

For further information, please visit PBL Promotion Support Center (in Japanese)