Problem-based Learning Experience Research Articles

The promise of problem-based learning for training pre-service technology teachers

This article describes a learner-centred pedagogy for training student teachers. The inquiry was guided by two questions: 1) Is problem-based learning (PBL) an effective strategy when training prospective Technology teachers? 2) To what extent do student teachers transfer their own experiences of PBL to the authentic classroom situation? After exploring the cognitive dimensions and characteristics of PBL, a rationale is provided for using PBL particularly for teacher training in Technology Education. Data collected through quantitative and qualitative methods suggest that the training was perceived as a relevant, creative and satisfying professional development learning experience. However, when having to transfer PBL competencies to real schools, the student teachers experienced uncertainty about their new roles as learning facilitators in a less structured and less predictable PBL environment. (South African Journal of Higher Education: 2003 17 (1): 39-46)

Experiences of problem-based learning: issues for community specialist practitioner students

In this paper, the findings from a descriptive study exploring community practitioner students’ experiences of Problem-Based Learning are presented. The study was completed as part of an extended evaluation of a core module included in a post-registration community specialist practitioner programme. Data were collected via a self-completion questionnaire. The findings identify issues relating to the learning process and its influence on the knowledge gained. They illustrate that whilst the journey taken to acquire new knowledge had been difficult for students, they had benefited from the opportunity to learn with others. The findings from this small survey are discussed in conjunction with experiential learning theory and the particular needs of students being prepared for specialist practitioner roles in the community setting where collaborative practices are increasingly understood as essential for quality care.

Tutoring in a Problem‐Based Curriculum: Expert Versus Nonexpert

Many studies have examined whether being an "expert" influences the success of a tutor in a problem-based learning curriculum. There are, however, no established standards by which to determine expertise. The purpose of this study was to examine whether students evaluate expert and nonexpert tutors comparably and to determine whether setting different standards to determine expertise influences the outcome of the above findings. Tutor evaluations, consisting of eight Likert-type questions completed by first-, second-, and third-year dental students, were analyzed. Tutors were ranked by the authorswithin three different categories of expertise based on the highest educational degree they had attained, familiarity with the specific subject matter, and previous problem-based learning (PBL) experience. Linear regression analyses were then performed between each category and student evaluation results. A statistically significant difference was found in the way students evaluated experts, but only when expertise was defined by the tutor's previous tutorial experience. The findings of this study underscore the importance of the retention of dental faculty with PBL experience in a PBL-based curriculum.

Evaluating the use of developmental action inquiry in constructing a problem-based learning curriculum for pre-registration nursing education in Hong Kong: a student perspective.

Developmental action inquiry (DAI) was chosen as the change strategy for introducing problem-based learning (PBL) in a pre-registration nursing programme. The central task was to transform the tutor and student participants to become collaborators in this curriculum reconstruction project. This paper expounds the way in which the action inquiry was constructed and in light of students' feedback analysis, the way in which PBL has made a difference in student learning was evaluated. Taking into consideration the change context and different group characteristics, the DAI was conducted in terms of two dynamically interlinked circles that formed partnerships between PBL core group members and tutors, and between tutors and students in coconstructing knowledge useful for PBL curriculum development. The findings of the student evaluation questionnaire reveal that the majority of students felt PBL made a difference to their expectations of self, the student group and the teacher role in creating a facilitative environment to enhance learning. However, there was a significant difference among individual student group responses. The students' positive and negative PBL experience in self-learning, tutor-student interaction, and group-learning were identified as crucial factors contributing to these group variations. The evaluation findings show that a paradigm shift from teacher-centred to student-centred learning, from valuing self-learning to co-operative group-learning, and from theory-based to practice-based learning occurred among the students. DAI was found to be an effective change strategy for transforming participants to become collaborators in searching for useful knowledge and coconstructing the PBL learning context.

Using Problem-Based Learning as a Tool for Learning to Teach Students with Special Needs

This article describes how Problem-based learning (PBL) was used as a pedagogical tool to help prospective teachers (a) define various disabilities, (b) learn teaching strategies for inclusion settings, and (c) value collaboration with other professionals. Qualitative and quantitative data are reported about the influence of the PBL experience on 44 preservice teachers during a semester-long PBL experience. Our findings indicate that engagement in PBL can help prospective teachers begin to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to work with children with disabilities in a problem-solving atmosphere that models and emphasizes peer collaboration.

Riding the Active Learning Wave: Problem-Based Learning as a Catalyst for Creating Faculty-Librarian Instructional Partnerships.

With higher education shifting its emphasis from teaching to learning and inputs to outcomes, active learning techniques are gaining prominence. Research has shown that students learn better when they actively engage the course content, rather than passively absorb lecture material. However, many faculty are unsure of how to take advantage of these new techniques to improve the learning outcomes for their students. For one active learning technique, problem-based learning, librarians are well positioned to facilitate its adoption into course curriculum. In order to effect a high-quality problem-based learning experience, a true collaboration of efforts needs to take place between the subject faculty and librarian. In such a synergistic system, information skills are integrated directly into course content, while an engaging active learning experience for students is facilitated. This article describes the background and history of problem-based learning, explaining why information skills are an integral part of the technique. The authors then detail the experiences of librarians at Purdue University, both in forming collaborations with subject faculty, and in the development of problem-based learning instructional modules.

Problem-Based Learning, Group Process and the Mid-career Professional: Implications for Graduate Education

Problem-based learning (PBL) is becoming increasingly popular as a method of educating professionals, although its use is more widespread at undergraduate pre-service levels than in graduate education. Existing literature tends to focus upon delivery methods and student achievement at the conclusion of a PBL-based course, and little research addresses the potential of PBL to meet the needs of professionals at graduate levels. This paper focuses on a Master of Arts in leadership program centered on PBL, presenting a study of mid-career professionals' perceptions of their long-term learning attributed to PBL experiences. Participants involved program graduates, experienced professionals from a broad range of disciplines including health care, education, social services, military and peace-keeping forces, and business management. Questionnaires distributed among program graduates ( N = 166) and follow-up interviews with twenty respondents yielded themes supporting the effectiveness of problem-based learning in developing particular skills and understandings. Students perceived their most valuable learnings were related to two main areas: group process and self-knowledge (including sub-themes of learning to understand different perspectives, to cooperate, to lead small groups, to manage conflict, self-awareness, confidence, and systems thinking). Both areas were claimed by students to be valuable in their professional practice over the long term. The article closes with practical implications of these findings for professional education.

An evaluation of problem-based learning in a nursing theory and practice module

Interest in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) within nurse education has increased internationally in recent years. The expectations of this teaching/learning strategy are that it will enable nurses to develop skills required for professional practice including: enquiry, reasoning, interpersonal and lifelong learning skills. However, to date, there is little empirical evidence within nursing literature to support such expectations. This study evaluated the reiterative PBL approach in an undergraduate programme within one University. The Responsive Evaluation Model (Guba & Lincoln 1989) guided the design of the study, permitting multiple methods of observation, focus group interview s and a questionnaire. Findings revealed an overall positive student experience of PBL. However, many students found PBL initially stressful due to the deliberately ambiguous nature of the scenario and the requirement upon students to direct their own le arning. The tutor role was unclear to some students, while others found the facilitative approach empowering. Recommendations are offered which may be of value to students, teachers and practitioners implementing and facilitating PBL within Making A Difference curricula (Department of Health 1999).

Making Sense of Trying Not to Teach

To explore how a cohort of first-ever "foundation" tutors in a new problem-based curriculum characterized and made sense of problem-based learning (PBL). The sample consisted of all foundation tutors (n = 34) from The University of Liverpool's undergraduate medical curriculum, 1996-97, the first semester of the first year that PBL became a main vehicle for knowledge acquisition. The cross-sectional study design involved semistructured telephone interviews with the tutors about PBL and problem solving. The author taped and transcribed the interviews and conducted an inductive analysis of these qualitative data. All tutors responded, with interviews lasting about 20 minutes: 26/34 (76%) were men and 23 (68%) were medically qualified. Twenty-nine (85%) facilitated 19-21 of the 21 PBL sessions. Most tutors conceptualized PBL as being student-centered (68%), involving small-group work (53%), but ignored its reflective component. They conceptualized good PBL tutors diversely, but mostly as "knowing" when and how to intervene (41%) and empathizing with students (29%). Few tutors characterized PBL in terms of problem solving, yet over half agreed, cursorily, that they were intimately related. The tutors were generally unclear about this relationship. These tutors mostly characterized PBL positively as a philosophy, yet missed its reflective elements and were particularly challenged by their own fallibility in knowing when and how to intervene without teaching. Internal motivation and direct experience of PBL helped balance some of the tutors' confusion with the educational rationale, highlighting possibilities for future staff development.

Assessing Student Outcomes in General Education at Samford University

When we began the Samford Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Ini tiative, we realized that assessment would play an important role. Consequently, we formed an assessment team that consisted of both faculty members and administrators. At the onset of the PBL Initiative, the assessment team met weekly and discussed best practices for evaluating the impact of PBL upon learning at Samford University. The assessment team, in conjunction with external experts, adopted existing measures and developed new assessment measures that we believed would inform us of the quality of experience and effectiveness of PBL on undergraduate and professional education. First, we adopted the critical thinking module from the Colle giate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) in order to gauge the reasoning skills among students who were exposed to PBL versus critical thinking skills of students who were not ex posed to PBL. In addition, we developed three assessment tools here at Samford University: (1) The Student Attitudes and Activi ties Assessment (SAAA), (2) The Instructional Landscape Sur vey (ILS), and (3) The End of Course Evaluation (ECE). The SAAA and ECE were designed to determine the effectiveness of PBL at the university, college, and course levels. The ILS was developed to depict the current state of our university's instruc tional landscape; in other words, we wanted to determine the range of instructional activities Samford faculty members use in their classrooms. The SAAA and ECE are examples of indirect assess ment measures that examine perceptions rather than directly ad dress learning. The CAAP critical thinking module is an example

Student evaluation of expert and non-expert problem-based learning tutors

The role of the tutor is important in developing effectivegroup process in educational programs built around small-group,problem-based learning (PBL).The tutor’s roleincludes creating a supportive group climate,encouraging theinvolvement of group members and addressing group prob-lems when they arise.Good tutoring has the potential to enhance group processin both novice and experienced teams.It is worthwhile therefore to monitor the quality of tutorial teaching in PBLprograms and provide valid and useful feedback to individ-ual tutors.In addition to ‘expertise’in teaching,tutors may have con-tent expertise in the area(s) covered by the patient problem(s).Tutors with content expertise may facilitate students’learn-ing,for example,by intervening in students’discussion withtimely statements or questions that evoke relevant ideasand/or clinical reasoning processes.However,studies of theeffect of tutor content expertise on student learning have pro-duced inconclusive results (Schmidt & Moust,2000).Someresearch has found a positive effect on students’achievementin favour of content experts,while other studies have foundmixed or no differences between ‘expert’and ‘non-expert’tutors (see Schmidt & Moust,2000,for a comprehensivereview).The inconclusive results from this research may bedue to differences in (1) the de”nitions of content expertiseand (2) the size of samples used,(3) participating students’level of experience of PBL,(4) students’levels of prior knowl-edge,and/or (5) the amount of structure provided by the medical school curriculum (Schmidt & Moust,2000).The curriculum in Years 1 and 2 of the University ofSydney medical program is structured around PBL tutorials,supported by lectures and other teaching sessions relevant tothe problem.A total of 70 clinical problems are grouped intonine units or ‘blocks’of study.The ”rst block is introductory,seven blocks are based on body systems and the ninth blockis concerned with oncology and palliative care.Prior to eachblock,all PBL tutors are provided with printed materials spe-cially designed to support their teaching for each problem.These support materials,together with extensive web-basedstudent resources linked to the weekly case (readers mayexplore the program web site at http://www.gmp.usyd.edu.au/visitors/),provide a highly structured teaching and learn-ing environment.In this paper,we report the results of an analysis of PBLtutor evaluation data from Years 1 and 2 of the medicalprogram for the period 1998–2000.We conducted a con”r-matory factor analysis on a 24-item tutor feedback form completed by students at the end of each block,and com-pared ratings of ‘expert’and ‘non-expert’tutors,where experttutors were broadly de”ned as having medical training.Weused this de”nition of ‘expert’because tutors with medicaltraining have different levels of clinical experience in additionto knowledge of both the basic and clinical sciences.Non-experts were further subdivided into staff with basic scienceand non-basic science backgrounds.Our analysis does notinclude an examination of the relationship between tutorexpertise and student achievement in the USydMP,becausestudents change their tutors several times during Years 1 and2,and such an examination would involve a higher level ofcomplexity beyond the scope of this article.

Integration of problem-based learning in a veterinary medical curriculum: first-year experiences with Application-Based Learning Exercises at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

In 1999 problem-based learning experiences were introduced into the professional curriculum at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine as part of an overall curricular modification. Problem-based learning (PBL) was introduced into the traditional curricular format in dedicated week-long experiences (Application-Based Learning Exercises) at specific points during the first six semesters. Methods to assess the success of this integration and other curricular changes included ongoing program assessment throughout the implementation of the modified curriculum. Program assessment engaged faculty facilitators and students, who were involved in a process unfamiliar to both. Results of preliminary assessment indicate mostly positive reaction to problem-based learning, while identifying other areas of concern.

Group learning factors in a problem-based course in oral radiology.

To assess the development of group dynamics in students who participated in a problem-based learning (PBL) course in oral radiology and to evaluate the influence of the facilitators' experience. At the beginning and end of the course, students in three consecutive years (1997, 1998 and 1999) responded to a group learning factor questionnaire designed to measure group dynamics (engagement, interpersonal relationships, lack of commitment and disruptive behaviour, interpersonal learning and self-presentation). The answers were analysed with paired t-test and the effects of the facilitator's seniority, expertise in oral radiology, experience of PBL and single or rotating facilitators assessed. Most groups in the three years reported above average group dynamic scores. There were significant changes in group dynamics. In the 1997 class, interpersonal relationships improved (P=0.014). In the 1998 class, interpersonal learning (P=0.021) and engagement (P=0.009) increased significantly, while disruptive behaviour decreased (P=0.031). In the 1999 class, lack of commitment and disruptive behaviour decreased (P=0.014). Groups led by a junior faculty member with no previous experience of PBL show less commitment and more disruptive behaviour. More commitment and less disruptive behaviour and improved engagement, interpersonal relationships and self-presentation were found in a PBL course in oral radiology. Facilitators should have prior exposure to PBL to avoid disruptive behaviour among the students.

East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine.

East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen College of Medicine.

Rush Medical College.

Rush Medical College.

Designing groups in problem-based learning to promote problem-solving skill and self-directedness

The effect of group size in problem-based learning(PBL) on the problem-solving skill, self-directedness,and technical knowledge of 72 students in a dentaleducation program was examined. Pretest measures onself-directedness and technical knowledge wereadministered to the 72 students. Equal numbers ofstudents with low, medium, and high levels ofself-directedness were randomly assigned to small,medium, and large PBL groups. Students thenparticipated in a three-week PBL experience, whichinvolved analyzing a patient case. After PBL wascompleted, posttest measures on self-directedness,technical knowledge, and problem-solving skill wereassessed. Students' reactions to the PBL experiencewere also measured. Analysis of the data found thatthe development of self-directedness varied with groupsize. Students' self-directedness increased in smalland medium size groups, but decreased in large groups. A significant difference was found between the mediumand large groups on this measure. Furthermore,students in small groups rated 5 of 12 aspects of PBLsignificantly higher than did those in large groups,and students in medium size groups rated 10 of 12aspects of PBL significantly higher than did those inlarge groups. Implications of these findings forinstructional design theory, practice, and researchare discussed.

What Can Studies of Problem-Based Learning Tell Us? Synthesizing and Modeling PBL Effects on National Board of Medical Examination Performance: Hierarchical Linear Modeling Meta-Analytic Approach.

This meta-analytic study 1) examines outcomes from primary research comparing the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) and traditional curricula on medical students' National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) I and II performance and 2) explores the use of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) in identifying study and PBL implementation characteristics that predict these outcomes. NBME I and II overall scores were used as dependent variables, with study design (randomized/non-randomized), publication year, and PBL experience (number of years since the adoption of PBL as an instructional method at the time of the reported NBME results) as explanatory variables. Initial unconditional HLM (i.e., without inclusion of potential explanatory variables) results indicated PBL curricula had: 1) a positive, albeit not statistically significant, effect on NBME II, with an average effect size of 0.16; and 2) a negative effect on NBME I, with an average effect size of -0.15. Including explanatory variables in HLM analyses explained additional variability in NBME I effect sizes, and identified study design (gamma^1 = 0.82, p = 0.01) and PBL experience (gamma^3 = 0.07, p = 0.02) as significant predictors of positive PBL effects. Publication year, in contrast, had significant negative effects (gamma^2 = -0.06, p = 0.02). This study explained variability in NBME I effect sizes and clarified the impact of PBL discerned in previous reviews. Implications for future research include the need to examine curriculum features that operationally define PBL, as well as extend the consideration of outcomes on which PBL's impact can be examined.

See one, do one, teach one.

Medical education has changed dramatically over this century, as has pediatrics and child health care. In this month's Pediatrics electronic pages , the article titled “Teaching Pediatric Procedures: The Vancouver Model for Instructing Seldinger's Technique of Central Venous Access Via the Femoral Vein” raises many important issues and demonstrates a creative “made in house” solution to one of the challenges facing pediatric educators. Medical education has evolved from an apprenticeship (where it was essential to select the best possible mentor) to standardized forms of training with national examinations, problem-based learning, and consistent experiences via simulation, standardized patients, and objective structural clinical examinations. Not only has the form of education changed but our desire to evaluate various pedagogic methodologies and experiences has also increased. A whole discipline of medical education has resulted. These new approaches to education produce the opportunities to learn from the experience of others without having to invent new wheels. However, applying the educational discipline to pediatrics has been particularly challenging because every developmental stage of the embryo, fetus, infant, child, and youth has a different set of illnesses and problems imposed on different body sizes. Even the anatomic relationships change as the child grows. … Address correspondence to Judith G. Hall, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia and BC's Children's Hospital, 4480 Oak St, Room 2D15, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6H 3V4.

Recurriculating to a problem-based learning curriculum: The WITS experience

The reasons for changing from a traditional curriculum to a problem-based learning curriculum are outlined. The process used in preparing for this change is described. The planning phase made use of workshops, core committees and international workshops and visits. Preparation of the necessary resources are enumerated, as are the preparation of the human resources with which the department is affiliated. The early implementation phase describes some of the problems which were encountered and the solutions which were ascribed. Finally an informal evaluation of the first experiences of problem-based learning is presented.

Moving Towards Problem‐based Learning

This paper is based upon the reflections of teachers and students as they experience problem‐based learning (PBL) for the first time. A PBL exercise was integrated into a curriculum‐based Biology field course to meet specific learning requirements of students. The exercise created a new learning environment for both students and teachers, and PBL was evaluated as an educative strategy. The exercise could have been improved through more effective student support. Our experiences of PBL have encouraged us to look for other areas of the curriculum where problem‐based approaches could be incorporated to enrich student learning.