Problem-based learning as an assessment: Enhancing students’ connective learning and constructive learning

Abstract

For the sake of enhancing students’ broad knowledge, problem-solving skills, and professional competences, this educational research project implemented problem-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogic tool in a large-class setting with 154 students involved at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The students participated in a problem-solving task that accounted for 25% of their course assessment (summative), which was designed with complex scenarios similar to real-life circumstances. The PBL assessment was structured in a way that required students' efforts to explore and connect relevant ideas supplemented with verifiable study materials, and a guided learning environment was provided by the course instructor and tutors. Learning activities were tailored to foster students’ active engagement and self-directed learning attitude towards resolving the PBL assessment. To evaluate the performance of the PBL approach, pre-and post-test questionnaire surveys were conducted to understand the improvement of students’ confidence regarding their learning ability, knowledge building, critical thinking, skill transfer, etc. The findings of these surveys revealed that the PBL assessment and related learning activities successfully stimulated students’ self-directed learning behaviour, enhanced their collaboration among peers, and expanded their capacity to develop critical skills for complex problem-solving tasks. Despite a challenging online learning environment compared to traditional classroom settings owing to the pandemic situation, the students considered this PBL assessment with guidance by the course instructor and tutors as creative, exciting, and very effective for life-long skill development. This research highlighted great prospects regarding implementing PBL approaches, even as an assessment component, in higher education institutions, which could be highly beneficial for nurturing competent graduates with essential practice-oriented skills and self-directed learning behaviour. Keywords: Higher Education, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), Learning Theories, Teaching Pedagogy, Constructivism, Connectivism.