PBL and Facilitation 2025

Welcome to PBL and Facilitation

Description: Aalborg University (AAU) has PBL (problem based, project organized learning) as its systemic educational approach, based on a long history of continuous experiential and experimental developments combined with a theoretical learning underpinning. AAU is an international environment, where lot of PhD students come from outside AAU and Denmark to start their academic career. Additionally, PBL is gaining popularity around world, and AAU is a reference in higher education for the systematic implementation and practice of PBL. Most of AAU PhD students have never experienced this educational model before, or have experienced it as students, and do not understand the learning philosophy embedded and its daily practices as a teacher. The aim of this PhD course is that the participants understand and reflect on the systemic PBL approach with strong institutional culture in the research work as well as in education. As part of this environment, participants should gain a better understanding of what PBL is, the learning principles and practices behind it, the collaborative project work, how to facilitate students' projects and learning, including how to handle various problem-based project works.

Prerequisites: It is recommended that participants have teaching obligations at time they participate in the course.

Learning objectives: Describe PBL principles, models, and practices, especially Aalborg PBL Model, across different fields, namely engineering and science, medicine, social science, and humanities.  

Identify teaching challenges in a PBL environment.

Develop strategies to address different teaching challenges in facilitating learning in a PBL environment.  

Evaluate different strategies to improve one owns teaching practice and facilitation skills in a PBL environment.  

Provide peer-feedback.

Teaching methods: The course employs several teaching methods, namely: Self-study activities (reading recommended literature, pre and post course assignments) 

Lectures with practical exercises (in face-to-face mode), Group work, Reflective team exercises, Peer and written feedback.

Criteria for assessment: Two individual assignments (i.e., one before the course starts, and one after the two first days of the course)  

Active participation in the course sessions by, for example, carrying out assignments and exercises, contribute to group work and discussions, provide constructive peer-feedback.

Key literature: 

Mandatory literature:  

1. Kolmos, A., Du, X., Holgaard, J. E., & Jensen, L. P. (2008). Facilitation in a PBL environment. UCPBL UNESCO Chair in Problem Based Learning. Available at: https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/16177510/Facilitation_in_a_PBL_environment.pdf   

2. Reinholz, D. (2016). The assessment cycle: a model for learning through peer assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(2), 301?315. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1008982  

3. Holgaard, J. E., Guerra, A., Kolmos, A., & Petersen, L. S. (2017). Getting a hold on the problem in a problem-based learning environment. International Journal of Engineering Education, 33(3), 1070-1085. https://www.ijee.ie/latestissues/Vol33-3/14_ijee3445ns.pdf 

4. Chen, J., Kolmos, A., & Du, X. (2021). Forms of implementation and challenges of PBL in engineering education: A review of literature. European Journal of Engineering Education, 46(1), 90-115. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2020.1718615  

5. Du, X., Nomikos, M., Ali, K., Lundberg, A., & Abu-Hijleh, M. (2022). Health educators' professional agency in negotiating their problem-based learning (PBL) facilitator roles: Q study. Medical Education, 56(8), 847-857. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.14792  

6. Al-Thani, H., Chaaban, Y., & Du, X. (2023). Factors influencing discipline-specific facilitators? roles in a multi-tiered professional learning programme in higher education. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 28(3), 530-549. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2023.2221123   

7. Chen, J., Du, X., Jiang, D., Guerra, A. O. P. D. C., & Nørgaard, B. (2024). A review study with a systematic approach: Pedagogical development for educators in higher engineering education. European Journal of Engineering Education, 49(2), 299-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2023.2290032  

8. Du, X., Chen, J., Stegeager, N., Thomsen, T. L., Telléus, P. K., Guerra, A. & Juhl, L. B. (2024), Mentorship in a long-term PBL-based university academic development program in Denmark: Views of subject and pedagogy mentors. International Journal for Academic Development. (Accepted/ in press).  

9. Aalborg UNESCO Centre Open Access Course - PBL supervision. Available at: https://ucpbl.moodle.aau.dk/course/view.php?id=12 (enrolment with AAU credentials)    

Additionally, literature:  

1. Chen, J., Du, X., Chaaban, Y., Velmurugan, G., Lyngdorf, N. E. R., Nørgaard, B., Routhe, H. W., Hansen, S., Guerra, A. O. P. D. C., & Bertel, L. B. (2023). An Exploration of Sources Fostering First-year Engineering Students? Academic Well-Being in a PBL Environment. IEEE Transactions on Education, 66(5), 421-430. Article 10126080. https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2023.3273352   

2. Guerra, A. O. P. D. C., Jiang, D., Du, X., Abou-Hayt, I., & Pineda, A. (2024) (Accepted/In press). Examining Engineering Design Students' Perceptions of Agency for Sustainability in a Problem- and Project-based Learning (PBL) Context - A Q Methodology Study. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. (Accepted/In press)

Organizer: Aida Guerra and Xiangyun Du

Lecturers: Aida Guerra and Xiangyun Du

ECTS: 3

Time: 9, 10 and 11 of December 2025 

Place: Aalborg University. Fibigerstræde 16 room 1.211

(Online option for external PhD students (non-Danish universities), or in their period of study abroad)

City: Aalborg

Maximal number of participants: 30

Deadline: 11. November 2025

Important information concerning PhD courses: 

There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

For external PhD students: This course is a general course and is prioritised for PhD Students enrolled at Aalborg University. If there are available seats, PhD students from other universities will be accepted. You will be notified shortly after the deadline if you have been accepted.

To attend courses at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology you must be enrolled as a PhD student.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course.

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration at phdcourses@adm.aau.dk When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.