Critical components for implementing PBL include orienting students to the problem by clearly explaining learning goals and activities, organizing students for collaborative work, guiding individual and group investigations, helping to develop and present solutions creatively, and facilitating analysis and evaluation of their thinking and investigative skills. These components require the teacher to act as a facilitator rather than a provider of information, promoting independence and collaborative learning among students .

Students engage in individual and group investigations in PBL by actively collecting relevant information and conducting experiments to find solutions to the problem. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this process by providing guidance on what questions to explore and helping students identify the type and sources of information needed. Additionally, the teacher must instill correct investigation ethics and methodical approaches, supporting students in becoming active investigators .

Heterogeneity in group composition enhances learning by bringing diverse skills and perspectives to the table, which improves problem-solving abilities and enriches the learning experience. Effective group dynamics rely on positive interaction, communication, and peer tutoring, making the learning process more inclusive and effective. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping these dynamics by monitoring interactions and ensuring harmonious collaboration to achieve the learning objectives .

Students in PBL are encouraged to develop and present their work by planning and preparing output that goes beyond traditional reports, such as video recordings, models, computer programs, and multimedia presentations. These varied formats allow students to creatively showcase their understanding and solutions to the given problems. A newsletter is another option to display students' work and mark the project's completion, enhancing their ability to communicate their findings effectively .

Teachers might face challenges such as ensuring all students actively participate and accurately evaluate their investigative processes and solutions during the reflection phase. To address these challenges, teachers should create an inclusive environment where diverse student input is encouraged and facilitated. Additionally, structured reflection activities and guided discussions can help students articulate their learning processes and outcomes, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the learning goals .

Organizing students for learning in PBL enhances collaborative skills by forming diverse groups that encourage interaction, communication, and peer tutoring among members. Teachers monitor and evaluate the groups’ work to maintain effective group dynamics. This collaboration is essential for problem-solving tasks that require sharing ideas and effort, which helps students learn from each other and improve their teamwork skills .

The main objectives of the analysis and evaluation phase in PBL are to help students reflect on their thinking processes and intellectual skills used during investigations. This phase involves reconstructing the thought and activities from different lesson stages to evaluate the effectiveness and results of their problem-solving approaches. It also encourages active involvement of students in assessing their learned skills and the final problem resolution .

The key principles of problem-based learning when orienting students to a problem include explaining the learning objectives and activities clearly, focusing on how to investigate significant problems rather than merely acquiring new information, understanding that problems do not have absolute correct answers, and encouraging open expression of ideas. These principles emphasize becoming independent learners and the teacher acting as a facilitator while students work independently or collaboratively. It is crucial to motivate students for active engagement in the investigation process .

Learning and applying proper investigation ethics in PBL is essential to ensure students conduct their inquiries with integrity and respect for data, helping them to become responsible learners. Teachers can facilitate this by providing clear guidelines and discussions on ethical considerations relevant to the investigations. Demonstrating ethical behavior and emphasizing its importance in reliable investigation outcomes help instill these values in students .

PBL motivates students by focusing on real-world problems that have no predefined answers, encouraging independent and collaborative investigations, and allowing freedom in idea expression. This approach increases student buy-in as they realize the relevance and applicability of their learning, which heightens engagement. The motivation stems from self-directed learning and the teacher's role in facilitating exploration rather than dictating solutions, which builds students' confidence and interest in the subject matter .