Experiences from Two Swedish Speech and Language Pathology Education Programmes Using Different Approaches to Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

In many programmes within higher education, including speech language pathology (SLP) education, students are expected to develop collaborative skills alongside acquisition of theoretical knowledge. The focus of the present chapter is to evaluate SLP graduates’ opinions on how well prepared for the professional life they feel after their education. A questionnaire, focusing on perceived professional skills in relation to education, was distributed to former SLP students from two programmes with different applications of problem-based learning (PBL). A total of 55 students (69%) completed the questionnaire. PBL has been identified as one efficient way to facilitate the development of speech and language pathology students’ abilities to meet the demands of self-directed learning in everyday worklife. Moreover, it has been shown that the use of PBL throughout the programme is beneficial to the perception of attaining general competencies. It is also demonstrated that the students from both the PBL throughout and the semi-PBL curricula rated themselves high on many specific competencies.