Problem-based Learning Experience Research Articles

Facilitating Postformal Thinking Through Problem-Based Learning in the History Survey Course: An Empirically Tested PBL Model

This case study presents a problem-based learning (PBL) model that guides general education history students to practice and acquire more advanced problem-solving skills – those found in postformal thinking systems – and to apply these thinking skills to develop and share solution alternatives both to periodized historical issues and to current problems and issues. The article also summarizes findings from three studies that tested the impact of the PBL model on students’ cognitive growth, level of course engagement, and perception of content relevance. These findings include student comments on the impact their PBL experiences had on their thinking skills and the usefulness of these skills in problem solving. The article concludes by providing tips on implementing the PBL model in a college general education history course.

A comparison of face-to-face and fully online problem-based learning: Student results and staff experiences, 2014-2020.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-directed pedagogy that promotes critical thinking, self-directed learning and communication skills essential for health promotion students and practitioners. This paper reports on student results, student evaluation and staff experience of PBL in the face-to-face and fully online environment in an undergraduate health sciences unit in an Australian university. A single time-point study using quantitative and qualitative administrative student data (2014-2020) and narrative reflection from teaching academics (n=5) was undertaken. Descriptive, independent t test and bivariate analyses for student results data were conducted; an inductive approach was used to analyse qualitative data and create codes. Student sample (n=472) consisted face-to-face (n=358, 75.8%) and online (n=114, 24.2%) enrolments. Final Unit Mark was significantly higher for fully online students compared with face-to-face students in 2018 (P= .007) and 2019 (P= .001). Final Unit Achievement was significantly higher for fully online students compared with face-to-face students in 2018 (P= .017) and 2019 (P= .043). Three themes emerged: The PBL approach; Evolution of PBLs; Student skills and competencies. PBL allows students to learn through facilitated problem solving and strong collaborative skills. The face-to-face and fully online PBLs improved the student and academic staff experience, while supporting the development of critical thinking and self-directed research. Further, it supported students to develop their core health promotion competencies; and enhanced the online student learning experience. SO WHAT?: Vital for contemporary, global graduates, the fully online PBL approach allows students to build critical academic and professional skills utilising current information technology relevant for collaborative professional practice.

Cooperative problem-based learning experience and coaching strategies of engineering course

<span lang="EN-US">The problem-based learning (PBL) methodologies are considered adequate for core engineering courses. The integration between cooperative learning and PBL methodologies establishes an encouraging environment for the students. However, for effective implementation of cooperative problem-based learning (CPBL) environment, close supervision of students’ experiences is vital, and deficient areas are to be improved, as PBL is a dynamic process. A study was conducted for the first-year undergraduate engineering class taught under the PBL environment. The objective was to evaluate the course by the preview of students, for highlighting weak domains in the teaching methodology for future improvements. A course experience questionnaire was designed considering PBL implications, with 35 question items, and 31 responses were collected by the end of the semester. Three different analyses were performed on the collected data, i.e., descriptive statistics and Cronbach’s alpha, Student's t-test, and Pearson Chi-square test. The achieved results supported the effective adoption of the PBL system by the students. However, few areas were highlighted requiring special consideration, such as PBL workload, pressure due to extra course content, and assessment opportunities under the PBL system. It was proved that maximum students considered PBL methodologies convenient and effective for learning than the traditional learning approach.</span>

Students' Perceptions and Experiences of Online Cooperative Problem-Based Learning: Developing 21st Century Skills

<p class="p1">Cooperative problem-based learning (CPBL) has been introduced in engineering education as an effective technique for developing students' professional skills. Moreover, the method is essential for engaging students in learning and developing 21st century skills. However, students are usually "shocked" by such inquiry learning because they face sudden changes in the learning environment. In addition, its implementation in online learning is another challenge. Therefore, this study aims to identify students' perceptions of online CPBL performance in vocational pre-teacher education institutions. A self-reporting questionnaire was designed focusing on 21st century skills and distributed to 71 students after the end of the semester. Quantitatively, the instrument of the survey data was analysed using SPSS software. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results show that online CPBL improved students’ collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills. In general, they agreed that online CPBL improved the development of 21st century skills.However, the students faced some difficulties during the online discussion session due to internet connection problems and team member involvement. Details of the items are also discussed.</p>

An Experience of Using a Canvas-Based Template for Blended-Learning in a Master in Drug Discovery

Drug development is a complex process that requires multidisciplinary teamwork to overcome the uncertainty associated to the process. From this point, problem-based learning (PBL) methodologies are helpful to train future professionals dedicated to drug development in multidisciplinary environments. One of the strategies developed to design novel business models is Business Model Canvas (BMC), a strategy that has been widely employed in business schools, but not in scientific education. Thus, we wanted to verify if a BMC-like template was suitable for a PBL experience in the field of drug development using a blended-learning approach. The students of a research master subject were asked to create a joint project plan for the development of a novel drug for an unmet clinical need by making use of a BMC-like template as support for discussions on the project strategy, while combining online and face-to-face sessions. The methodology helped the students to learn about drug development, even in a blended-learning format. Most students considered that this methodology enhanced their participation in the working group and helped them to focus their arguments, proving that the employment of BMC-like templates is helpful to overcome the disadvantages of PBL experiences.

The Great Health Paradox: A Call for Increasing Investment in Public Health.

The great health paradox is that the least expensive and most effective public health measures available for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic-and other society-wide health challenges-have long been ignored and rejected in the United States in favor of more expensive and personalized care. The U.S. medical system is being overwhelmed in part because of this paradox. The authors argue that the country has invested excessively in acute care medical technology while investing insufficiently in its public health infrastructure. In this Invited Commentary, the authors recommend 5 steps that academic medicine should take to increase emphasis on and understanding of public health interventions to address society's health problems: (1) incorporate problem-based learning experiences in the medical school curriculum and community-based clinical rotations in public health departments, (2) better integrate schools of public health and schools of medicine, (3) encourage physicians to pursue public health careers, (4) educate the public about strategies for decreasing chronic illnesses, and (5) increase collaboration with colleagues around the world to identify and track outbreaks.

Co-constructing Professional Vision: Teacher and Researcher Learning in Co-Design

Prior research has highlighted that for teachers to develop robust practices, they need to develop rich professional vision (PV)—the ability to see nuanced issues of teaching and learning in situ, interpret them, and respond. In the context of problem-based learning (PBL), PV involves guiding student-centered learning and understanding when to provide just-in-time scaffolding as students navigate real-world problems. In efforts between teachers and researchers to co-design PBL experiences, design partners co-construct PV as they put forth different ways of seeing and navigate how to support student learning together. We need to better understand how (1) PV is interactionally constructed in these efforts and (2) what tools and designs support this co-construction. We use discourse analysis to explore how joint video analysis in one co-design effort supported the simultaneous development of PV for teacher and researcher. Findings revealed that collaborative video analysis of classroom interaction and student artifacts acted as boundary objects for design partners—a shared space for meaning making. On video, classroom interactions were revisited, and alternative possibilities reimagined. Group artifacts (e.g., drawings and notes) made students’ thinking available for interpretation. Consistent open-ended questions in co-design (e.g., “how are we seeing PBL in action here?”) supported the negotiation and alignment of PVs, setting shared goals, and planning actions for upcoming class periods. This research contributes to our shared understanding of how to support research and practice that is responsive to local context and is mutually beneficial for researcher and teacher.

Problem-Based Learning Experience in Civil Engineering

Abstract : The activity-based learning (ABL) is essential to be incorporated in teaching-learning process to attain graduate attributes in engineering education. Problem-based leaning (PBL) is one of such activities. This paper demonstrates the crafting of authentic PBL problems in Civil Engineering discipline. The problems can be of different durations and can be segregated in to various phases based on the knowledge acquired by the students and problem requirements. The experience of one phase of a PBL problem carried out is promising in exhibiting the improvement of skills of the students in solving the problems in the real-world scenario. PBL activity if incorporated in engineering curriculum will definitely result in enhanced Teaching-Learning process. Keywords: Accreditation; Activity Based Learning; Problem-Based Learning; Civil Engineering.

Phenomenological study on the problem-based learning experience of clinical dental hygiene among students in dental hygiene

Phenomenological study on the problem-based learning experience of clinical dental hygiene among students in dental hygiene

Student views of a PBL chemistry laboratory in a general education science course

Several traditional chemistry lab experiences were replaced with a problem-based learning (PBL) experience in a college, general education, conceptual chemistry course. Students worked in small groups on an authentic chemistry problem where each student played a different role (Scientist, Engineering, Marketing Manager, Safety Officer, or Secretary). Mid-semester, the pandemic forced the course online. Q methodology [Q] was used to determine the divergent viewpoints that existed amongst the students regarding their PBL experience. Each student provided their view by sorting related statements into a grid. Three divergent viewpoints emerged from the analyses Two viewpoints are positive about the PBL experience (Motivated learners and Committed to my group) and one is negative (Negative experience due to group dynamics). Descriptions of these views and implications are discussed.

ONLINE PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL) DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: TRIAL AT THE LIBYAN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a modern strategy used in many higher education institutions. The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 urged universities and other educational institutions around the world to close, leading to the shift to online learning as an alternative in order to overcome delays in the education process. The Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) at the Libyan International Medical University (LIMU) has adopted the PBL method as a key element in its teaching strategy. The Faculty started a trial for online PBL sessions during the lockdown period to evaluate the student experience at BMS. Here, we used a binary questionnaire where responses of 293 students were anonymously collected. Overall, there was a positive response of about 76%. Each of the questionnaire elements scored at least 73% which reflects general satisfaction with the online PBL experience. However, there seemed to be considerable variation in the responses of the different year groups. First year students reported the highest overall positive response on the experience whereas third year students were overall less satisfied. In addition, this variation in responses was more pronounced when students were asked about the organisation of the session and problems with internet connectivity. This may be due to the fact that the more senior year groups were interviewed first and there was a continuous adjustment of the online PBL strategy throughout the time for this trial. Our study also showed that among the different online PBL aspects surveyed in the questionnaire, the clarity of instructions was the most important element determining the effectiveness of online PBL. Overall, this questionnaire shows that online PBL can be a decent alternative to traditional PBL during crises.

Twenty-First Century Skill Building for Homeschooled Students With Special Needs

Although problem-based learning (PBL) is not new, the ways in which homeschool teachers use attributes of PBL with their students with special needs is unknown. Posts were collected from 20 homeschool teachers’ blogs. After I coded 87 blog posts, results showed that homeschool teachers provided a variety of opportunities for their students to practice 21st-century skills. Specifically, they developed lessons that encouraged students to share what they learned and developed cross-disciplinary content, most often with language arts. Results may provide insights for homeschool teachers interested in more purposefully implementing PBL experiences with the purpose of teaching 21st-century skills.

Twenty-First Century Skill Building for Homeschooled Students With Special Needs

Although problem-based learning (PBL) is not new, the ways in which homeschool teachers use attributes of PBL with their students with special needs is unknown. Posts were collected from 20 homeschool teachers’ blogs. After I coded 87 blog posts, results showed that homeschool teachers provided a variety of opportunities for their students to practice 21st-century skills. Specifically, they developed lessons that encouraged students to share what they learned and developed cross-disciplinary content, most often with language arts. Results may provide insights for homeschool teachers interested in more purposefully implementing PBL experiences with the purpose of teaching 21st-century skills.

Escape from Quant Lab: Using Lab Skill Progression and a Final Project to Engage Students

A Quantitative Analysis Lab class was developed that began with 9 weeks of student preparation for the Quant Escape Game (QEG) where the students learned the fundamentals of quantitative analysis. The preparation was followed by the four-week QEG, an active-learning, cooperative-learning, and problem-based learning experience in which the students used their knowledge of the fundamentals of quantitative analysis to solve the given problems. Students reported that the game caused them to learn, thinking in advance all semester long instead of simply going through the motions. The students were motivated by the prospect of using the fundamental skills that they learned early in the class to solve a real, complex, and multistep problem as part of an escape game. The students enjoyed the independence the game afforded and the ability to strategize within a large team setting. The QEG was a way of motivating students to achieve course goals while providing a way for students to showcase their improved abilities and skills at the end of the semester.

Views of Turkish EFL teacher trainees toward technology-integrated PBL practices

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is increasingly becoming popular in teacher education, just like the prevalence in the use of Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) which is an instructional socio-constructivist online tool providing collaborative learning. PBL where learning occurs through real-life problem solving practices is also included in the constructivist approach. This study was designed as a mixed methods research which English as Foreign Language (EFL) teacher trainees were involved in PBL through Moodle with the aim of solving problems related to language teaching and learning which they encountered at practicum schools. Participants were 93 EFL teacher trainees studying at a state university in Turkey. The study aimed to reveal the participants’ views of their PBL experiences within the scope of a Materials Evaluation and Adaptation Course. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews; and analyzed through descriptive statistics and content analysis consecutively. Results demonstrated that the teacher training activities delivered through PBL yielded promising benefits for EFL teacher trainees’ professional development despite some minor flaws faced in the process. Thus, PBL can be considered as a useful method to deliver such courses offered in any branches of teacher education.

Going Remote during COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects of Problem-Based Learning towards Improving Students' Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

COVID-19 pandemic spreading all around the world, the higher learning institutions were forced to shut or limit the person in contact to control the spread of diseases. Under this circumstance, remote learning that emphasized learning via online setting embraced in higher education to replace the physical classroom during the pandemic time. This study designed a single Problem-Based Learning (PBL) module using remote learning to examine the students experience in PBL, and to what extent the PBL module helps students to improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The remote learning PBL module conducted using reflection method to assess the students' experiences in PBL learning. On the other hand, a set of survey questionnaires was distributed to 34 undergraduate students to gather the responses for the assessment of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative analysis to investigate the students’ critical thinking, problem-solving skills and their experience in remote learning PBL. Using paired sample t-test to test the difference between pre- and post- remote learning PBL class, results indicated that there was a significant improvement of students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills after remote learning PBL class. On the other hand, thematic analysis on students’ feedback on remote learning PBL class- first, second, and third meeting, indicated that students gradually improved their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Although students implied positive feedback on the class, however, some of them were facing difficulties in understanding the module or physical disruptions that distract their learning. The findings gave insights for the lecturers to design a suitable learning course during the pandemic time. Moreover, the findings highlighted challenges that gave insights for the lecturers to look at the students’ feedback from time to time to improve the learning mechanisms and to create a better learning environment.

Aprendizagem baseada em problemas

O presente estudo tem como objetivo conhecer acerca dos conceitos de metodologias ativas na Educação Profissional e Tecnológica, de modo a relatar a experiência do uso da Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas (ABP) no contexto do Programa Nacional de Integração da Educação Profissional com a Educação Básica, na Modalidade de Jovens e Adultos (PROEJA), em uma instituição de ensino federal. Assim, pauta-se em uma pesquisa qualitativa, por meio da técnica bibliográfica e do relato de experiência. Está dividido em 02 (duas) seções: a) discute sobre as metodologias ativas como uma estratégia de ensino que pode viabilizar a formação integral na EPT; b) relata a experiência da ABP no contexto do PROEJA. Conclui-se que a ABP possui um viés dinâmico e estratégico, que pode promover o trabalho colaborativo, a criatividade, a autonomia, a flexibilidade, o comprometimento e a comunicação oral dos estudantes, o que está em consonância aos objetivos institucionais.

The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.

The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Revisiting the role of concept mapping in teaching and learning pathophysiology for medical students.

Concept mapping methodology is a way of representing knowledge described as a useful tool in medical education. It was introduced in the pathophysiology curricular unit at NOVA Medical School in 2002, within an ongoing experience of problem-based learning. Our goal is to present a comparison between the students' opinions and performances in two academic years, 2017-18 and 2018-19, to evaluate the effects of pedagogical changes in the concept mapping methodology, applied in the last year, which is also described in detail. Our convenience samples were composed by 224 students in 2017-2018 and by 216 students in 2018-2019. The analysis used the students' responses to the yearly institutional questionnaire on the quality of teaching and to a specific questionnaire applied to evaluate the tutorial sessions of 2018-19. Both were anonymous, and the response rate was above 50%. A comparison was also made between the continuous assessment during the tutorial sessions, expressed as a final cumulative score, and the results of an obligatory multiple-choice final test. The students considered the introduced pedagogical changes useful in their different components, such as identification of core concepts, construction of mini-maps, and their inclusion in final global maps. The better performance of the tutors, signaled by the students in 2018-19, was probably due to the preparatory pedagogical sessions.