Exploring the Relationship Between Learners' Uncertainty Level and Learning Performance in an Authentic Problem-Based Learning Environment

Abstract

Many educators believe that learners' learning experience can be enhanced by infusing uncertainty into their learning process. The authentic problem-based learning (APBL) model allows uncertainty to be incorporated into ill-structured problem to motivate learners' learning process. This study looks into the relationship between learners' uncertainty level and learning performance in APBL model which involve participation of 78 engineering students from Taylor's American Degree Program. A questionnaire consists of 30 items of uncertainty construct and 10 items of learning satisfaction is developed to measure learners' uncertainty level and satisfaction at the end of APBL. Learners' learning satisfaction, learning attitude, and learning score on APBL activities which form the learning performance is computed. The Cronbach's alphas for uncertainty construct and learning satisfaction are 0.89 and 0.92 respectively. The zero order Pearson's correlation analysis showed a strong negative correlation between uncertainty level and learning performance.