University of Tampere, Faculty of Education and
Lahti Polytechnic organize an 
International Conference on
Problem-Based Learning
9-11 June 2005
Lahti, Finland
PBL IN CONTEXT
– BRIDGING WORK AND EDUCATION
Keynote Speakers
Professor Wim H. Gijselaers
Wim H. Gijselaers (born 1959) is full professor of education at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. He is interested in various aspects of problem-based learning, cognition and instruction, and educational measurement. His current research focuses on the instructional design of powerful learning environments, expertise development in management education, and shared cognition in teams. He received several grants from the Dutch Government and the Dutch Science Foundation for educational development projects and fundamental research. His professional career started at the problem-based Medical School of Maastricht University. Over the past 15 years, he was involved with the implementation and further development of problem-based learning in the Economics and International Business Programs at this University.
As consultant he was involved with the implementation of curriculum reform at several institutions in higher education who adopted problem-based learning as leading educational principle. He chaired the executive board of EDiNEB, an international network of innovative educators, for a period of eight years. He received his Ph.D. (1988) in education from Maastricht University. Currently he serves the positions of Director of the Graduate Program of International Business, and chair of the department of Educational Development and Educational Research at the Faculty of Economics and Business (Maastricht University).
Professor Swee-Eng Chen
Professor Chen is the Professor for Building in the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Newcastle.
He has 20 years of research and experience with Problem-Based Learning. He has developed and taught problem-based learning courses in architecture, construction management and property. He has consulted internationally and across a number of different disciplines in the development of PBL courses.
His research interests in the area of PBL include student perceptions of their learning environment, student-centred learning environments and assessment practices.
Professor Sari Poikela
Sari Poikela is working as a professor (acting) in education, University of Lapland (just beside the Arctic Circle), Finland. She is also a project Leader at Eduta Institute, Faculty of Education, University of Tampere. Her research interest in Problem-Based Learning dates back to 1990’s when PBL was started with medical education and physiotherapy education in Tampere, Finland. These were the first applications of PBL in Finland. Sari Poikela was one of the founding members of ProBell (Research group for PBL in Finnish Higher Education) set up in January 2001. ProBell belongs to research program Life as Learning funded by Finnish Academy. Sari graduated as PhD (Adult Education) in 2003 with the thesis ”Problem-based pedagogy and tutor’s knowing and competence” (published in Finnish). The research deals with tutors professional development which is closely linked to organizational issues and changes in the context of PBL. Sari’s current research interests deals with developing evaluation and quality assurance systems in PBL.
Sari has worked as lecturer and researcher in Adult Education at the University of Tampere, Finland. She spend the academic year 1996-1997 as a visiting scholar at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. At the moment, she leads the EU-funded educational project ”Professional Development Diploma on PBL” aimed for teachers in the field of higher education who are willing to development themselves as practitioners of PBL. Sari is also involved in several other national and international PBL projects concerning pedagogical development at University and at work, expecially tutor training and mentoring. She has written several articles about PBL in Finnish and in English. Her other research interest include adult education, life span and learning.
On her spare time Sari enjoyes outdoor life with the family, nordic walking and astanga yoga.