For decades schools have encouraged students to use their “critical thinking skills” in order to address and solve complex problems.  This is certainly an important approach to the process of problem-solving but if asked to explain how they use those skills, most students and even adult trainees, would struggle to describe what it looks like in practice. Problem-based learning (PBL) as an instructional method first surfaced in medical schools over 30 years ago to improve transfer of learning for medical students.  Over time, the process expanded to numerous other disciplines including business, engineering, teacher education and architecture, to name a few.  More recently, PBL has moved into social work and law enforcement, understanding that these are two professions where critical decision- making skills are needed in high-stakes situations.