Problem-based Learning Context Research Articles

Effects of Technology-aided Teaching Mode on the Development of CT Skills of EFL Students in Higher Vocational Colleges: A Case Study of English Argumentative Writing

With the increasing application of technology in education, exploring the value of technology-aided teaching modes in promoting students' development of critical thinking (CT) skills has become more prominent. This study targets English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in Higher Vocational Colleges (HVCs) to empirically investigate the effects of technology-aided teaching on their development of CT skills. Utilizing the method of equal-group comparative teaching experiment, this study divided students into control and experimental groups and implemented various technology-aided teaching interventions in the experimental group. The results reveal that the application of technology has a positive impact on the development of CT skills and improvement in English argumentative writing among EFL students. Based upon these findings, this study proposes a teaching mode “problem-based learning context creating - viewpoints expressing - viewpoint questioning - collaborative resolution - reflective learning,” aiming to provide insights for effectively conducting CT teaching for EFL students under a technological environment.

Digitalisation of engineering design education: structured freedom, flipped engagement, hybridity, and transparency

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to current discussions of digital teaching and technology within the field of engineering design education. We enter this dialogue by analysing a hybrid digital learning design for a 15-ECTS engineering design course. The course design pedagogically integrates principles from networked learning research, Problem-Based learning (PBL), as well as established pedagogical traditions. Specifically, we analyse and discuss the case based on four pedagogical principles underpinning the course: structured freedom, flipped engagement, hybridity, and transparency. The purpose of our discussions is to understand and contribute knowledge of digitalising engineering design education. Specifically, our pedagogical approach to hybrid and digital modes of learning rethink and expand the integration of digital technologies in physical design studios in a PBL context by employing networked learning principles. Following this, we draw out interesting contributions that have emerged and use the discussions to feed into the ongoing research on digitalising engineering design education.

Learner perceptions of a GSRS in a problem-based learning context

Learner perceptions of a GSRS in a problem-based learning context

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GROUP COOPERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF PROBLEM BASE LEARNING (PBL): A MIXED METHOD APPROACH

This study uses a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the effectiveness of group collaboration in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) context. The study integrates qualitative and quantitative analyses to understand the dynamics of group collaboration and its impact on learning outcomes. The sample consisted of 98 students involved in a semester-long PBL course. The researcher collected Quantitative data through self-assessment and peer assessment scales, while qualitative data came from in-depth interviews and analysis of group reflections. The results showed a significant correlation between group cooperation effectiveness and learning outcome achievement, with positive interaction and effective conflict management as critical factors in improving group performance. Qualitative analysis revealed that effective communication, shared leadership, and equitable task distribution enhanced group synergy. The findings provide new insights into the importance of developing collaborative skills in PBL and suggest the need for educational interventions designed to enhance group cooperation abilities. This study contributes to the PBL literature by providing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of group cooperation and its implications for teaching and learning.

Experimenting with GAME OVER to create processes of reflection and academic inquiry

Educations are challenged in their effort to facilitate students learning when it comes to especially processes of reflection. Also in a Problem-Based Learning context, errors often cause a lack of motivation, that gives reflection processes and academic inquiry difficult conditions Game-Based Learning is thus suggested as a learning strategy which can address these learning needs though a procedural rhetoric. Furthermore, Game-Based Learning is found to affords students risk taking and engagement in learning activities However, a literature review of empirical studies of Game-Based Learning reveals existing gaps in the literature. There are missing models for how academic activities can be enhanced through the use of Game-Based Learning, here especially the transformation of “Game Over” elements into a learning environment based on physical Game objects. This study aims to describe learning situations where the academic focal point is a reflective and innovative writing process through gaming principles. The study design aims to identify what impact Game-Based Learning have on facilitating academic literacy to create processes of reflection. Based on two cases, the empirical data are retrieved from video observations during a period of 1 year. A qualitative content analysis and interpretation of the collected data reveals how the use of “Game Over” strengthens the depth of the students' writing through a reflective and metacognitive approach to the task. As a contribution to the existing knowledge, this paper presents a Procedural Rhetoric for how to work with a “Game Over” strategy to facilitate academic literacy and thereby create processes of reflection in a physical context.

STEAM Matters for Sustainability

Students of art-based higher educational programs use artistic practices and academic methods to explore complex societal topics and produce artistic outcomes that embody new knowledge and insights. Universities have an essential role in helping to shape sustainable futures, and art-based research frequently explores complex and abstract topics, such as sustainability. In this paper, we provide reflections on 33 of the 127 undergraduate student projects we surveyed that concern sustainability over a period of 10 years at a problem-based learning (PBL) university as part of an Art and Technology degree program. Art and Technology is a STEAM education, where STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects are taught alongside artistic methods. Specifically, we investigate how students formulate sustainability problems within an art-based research framework by identifying the (1) themes within sustainability and art that were of most concern, (2) research aims of these projects within a PBL context, and (3) artistic and academic methods employed as part of the research process. Additionally, we provide select examples of the artistic outcomes of these student projects as evidence for how artistic methods and practices – by virtue of necessarily experiential work – can concretize the often abstract notion of sustainability, making it accessible to diverse student populations and the public.

Examining students’ perceived reasoning skills in wiki-based PBL internship courses

This study aimed to investigate whether web-based problem-based learning (PBL) implemented using wiki applications (wikis) would result in differences in undergraduate students’ relationship commitment, interpersonal trust, knowledge-sharing behaviour (KSB) and reasoning skills in healthcare courses. Wikis have some features (e.g., extensive editing, version preservation and multi-user content editors) that are useful for enhancing collaborative learning, knowledge co-creation and authentic problem-solving in the PBL context. A quasi-experimental design was adopted to execute this survey. A total of 185 students were separated into either an experimental group (EG) with wikis or a control group (CG) without wikis, according to their PBL activities. Independent t tests showed a significant difference in four variables between the EG and the CG. The EG students exhibited a statistically significantly higher degree of relationship commitment, interpersonal trust, KSB and reasoning skills than the CG students. The conclusion of the results can provide beneficial information on students’ PBL experiences for instructors who aim to redesign their course materials and improve their higher education teaching methods. The research findings thus enrich the literature on healthcare education by addressing the influence of wikis on students’ PBL effectiveness, which is an under-researched area. Implications for practice or policy: Wikis’ collaborative authoring function can encourage collaboration. Using a wiki-based PBL approach can enhance students’ trust and commitment. Using a wiki-based PBL approach can facilitate students’ KSB. Using a wiki-based PBL approach can enhance students’ reasoning skills. Using a collaborative learning method can complement wiki-based PBL approach.

The Effect of Mixed Reality-based HoloPatient in Problem-based Learning Contexts

BackgroundThere has been little investigation of nursing students’ experience of MR-based HoloPatient integrated into PBL contexts. MethodA mixed methods design was used to examine the effect of HoloPatient-based PBL in nursing students. ResultsThis study found significant positive effects of the HoloPatient-based PBL on problem-solving ability, critical thinking disposition, and learning confidence and satisfaction. Two themes were identified for students’ experiences in the HoloPatient-based PBL: positive experiences of HoloPatient-based PBL learning, and suggestions for improvement. ConclusionMR-based HoloPatient incorporated with PBL can allow students to learn problem-solving skills in realistic nursing work contexts, acquire related nursing knowledge and increase their learning motivation.

Adapting the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire to the Japanese Problem-Based Learning Context: A Validation Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed medical education, and medical trainees' self-regulation has become more emphasized. In Japan, the concept of self-regulated learning has not been fully applied in health profession education due to a lack of effective measurement tools. We aimed to validate the translated Japanese version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire in the context of Problem-Based Learning (J-MSLQ-PBL). The questionnaire employs a seven-point Likert-type scale with 81 items and is categorized into two sections: motivation and learning strategies. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted by using Promax rotation to examine the factor structure of the scale, using the collected data from 112 Japanese medical students. Factor extraction was based on a scree plot investigation, and an item was accepted when the factor loading was ≥0.40. In the motivation section, the extracted factors from the EFA were well aligned with the subscales of the original MSLQ, including "Self-Efficacy for Learning and Performance", "Task Value", "Self-Efficacy for Learning and Performance", "Test Anxiety", "Extrinsic Goal Orientation", and "Intrinsic Goal Orientation". In the learning strategies, the extracted factors poorly matched the structure of the original subscales. This discrepancy could be explained by insufficient translation, the limited sample size from a single medical school, or cross-cultural differences in learning strategies between Western and Japanese medical students. Only the motivation part of the J-MSLQ-PBL should be implemented to measure the competency elements of self-regulated learning in Japan.

PHYSIOLOGY TEACHING IN THE PBL (PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING) CONTEXT: REPORT OF WORKSHOPS DEVELOPED IN BRAZIL

The workshop entitled “Physiology teaching in the Problem-based learning (PBL) context” was developed in two different times and contexts, in Brazil during 2017 and 2018. The main goal was to show how PBL works and discuss different possibilities and strategies to include physiology education in this different context of non-traditional teaching, where the role of professor changes. The workshop was highly valuable, gave an initial basis on PBL to the participants and stimulates them to think about the possibilities of PBL use and the potentials of this method, in both contexts of application.

Effective Learning Behavior in Problem-Based Learning: a Scoping Review.

Problem-based learning (PBL) emphasizes learning behavior that leads to critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaborative skills in preparing students for a professional medical career. However, learning behavior that develops these skills has not been systematically described. This review aimed to unearth the elements of effective learning behavior in a PBL context, using the protocol by Arksey and O’Malley. The protocol identified the research question, selected relevant studies, charted and collected data, and collated, summarized, and reported results. We discovered three categories of elements—intrinsic empowerment, entrustment, and functional skills—proven effective in the achievement of learning outcomes in PBL.

Virtual reality in problem‐based learning contexts: Effects on the problem‐solving performance, vocabulary acquisition and motivation of English language learners

AbstractLearning a foreign language requires interaction with language input while involved in a task. Given that problem‐based learning (PBL) offers hands‐on application in realistic contexts, and that virtual reality (VR) enables learners to interact with multiple modalities of information, this study examines how the integration of VR technology into PBL contexts affects students' motivation for, problem‐solving during, and vocabulary acquisition in learning English as a foreign language (EFL). A total of 84 engineering majors who enrolled in a course of English for specific purposes were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Students in the experimental group participated in a VR‐assisted PBL context, in which they were to view a PBL scenario using VR technology and then to create VR videos about solving the given problems. Those in the control group participated in a PBL context without the use of VR technology for viewing and solving the identical scenario. After the intervention, all the students wrote a problem‐solving analysis, took a vocabulary knowledge test, completed a learning motivation questionnaire, and participated in individual interviews. The results showed that the students in the experimental group significantly outperformed those in the control group in terms of vocabulary acquisition, and were more motivated to learn English related to their future careers, whereas there was no significant difference in the problem‐solving performance of the two groups. Implications of these findings highlight the value of engaging EFL learners in immersive environments for contextualized learning through the integrated use of VR and PBL.

Two Decades of PBL in Teaching Computing: A Systematic Mapping Study

Contribution: This article adds to the results of previous systematic mapping study by addressing a more ample context of problem-based learning (PBL) in computing education. Background: PBL is defined as an instructional method of constructivist teaching that uses real problems as a motivating element for learning. Although PBL was born in medical education, it has been used in computing education to facilitate the students' engagement and learning capacity, contributing to developing skills, such as teamwork, holistic vision, critical thinking, and solving problem. Considering that approach much more descriptive than prescriptive, it favors the implementation of diverse methodologies on its behalf. Research Question: “How the PBL approach has been applied in teaching computing?” Methodology: From the initial set of 3837 studies, 102 primary studies were selected and categorized through Kitchenham methodology for analysis from 1999 to 2019. Findings: Based on these studies, it was possible to verify a greater adoption of PBL in undergraduate education and a great diversity of strategies involving real-world problems, developing technical and no-technical skills and making the student much more motivated and engaged. Challenges were also mapped, which shows a very interesting field for new research.

Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Smartphone-Based Study Guide for Undergraduate Medical Students

Introduction: Most medical educators agreed that e-Learning is a necessity nowadays and not a luxury shift. Smartphones contribute to the educational process to a great extent. Integrating the use of smartphones in the curriculum has an important innovative role in medical education and health care services. Currently, medical students are using smartphones as part of their daily routine and learning activities. A study guide is a tool designed to facilitate students' interaction with the various components of the curriculum. The idea of using a mobile application in providing information through a study guide to facilitate learning was reported by different studies.
 Aims: This study aims at designing, implementing and evaluating smart-phone based study guide using mobile enhanced learning technology for the 1st year medical students at Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University (FOM-SCU) in order to enhance students' learning experience.
 The Study Objectives: Design a study guide using mobile application for the 1st year medical students. Implement the newly designed study guide on 1st year medical students (2017-2018). Evaluate the students' performance during PBL tutorial sessions before and after implementing Smartphone based study guide. Assess students' satisfaction regarding the study guide application. Identify challenges of using mobile application in medical education.
 Study Design: A quasi-experimental (pretest-posttest), using a non-probability convenience sampling, 105 students (response rate 84%), and 16 class tutors (response rate 100%).
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Education, FOM-SCU, Egypt during the academic year 2017-2018.
 Methodology: Using a non-probability convenience sampling technique, 105 students (response rate 84%), and 16 class tutors (response rate 100%).
 Results: Most of the students (94.3%) stated that smartphone (m-learning) is useful in Medical Education, 80.9% of them agreed that the module objectives can be met through m-learning and 61.9% of the students agreed on recommending m-learning as an innovative method of learning to others. The evaluation of students' performance in the context of Problem Based Learning (PBL) by their class tutors showed a statistically significant improvement in all items regarding the four factors assessed "independent study" (p-value <0.001), "group interaction" (p-value <0.001), "active participation" (p-value <0.001), and "reasoning skills" (p-value <0.001) when comparing pre and post-intervention scores. 
 Conclusion: This study concludes the m-learning has a positive effect on the students’ performance in the PBL context. It is remarkably significant to integrate smartphone-based learning activities in the undergraduate Medical Education curriculum. Our results can encourage other health professions institutions to apply m-learning in different educational situations.

Determinants of self-regulated learning skills: the roles of tutors and students.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that offers students the opportunity to develop self-regulatory strategies as an explicit learning outcome. As a multifaceted PBL environment, the guidance of tutors is important to students as they develop self-regulatory learning (SRL) skills and self-efficacy, the most focused motivational element in SRL. The present study examines the relationship between academic achievement and PBL self-efficacy levels, as well as the role played by tutors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with third- year medical students (n = 257; 75%). The SRL perception (SRLP) scale, the self-efficacy for PBL scale (SPBL), tutor evaluation scale (TES), and an achievement test were used to gather data in this study. In every scale, participant scores were higher than the midpoint, which is 3. There were positive correlations between SRL, self-efficacy, and the tutoring scores of tutors. As the correlation between SRLP and achievement was not significant, achievement was removed from the regression equation, and only SPBL and TES results were used. The results of the regression analysis indicated that SPBL and TES explained 36% of the variance. The level of self-efficacy in PBL predicted the students' SRL abilities, as did tutor evaluations. The findings show that students used their SRL skills and had beliefs about their ability to learn effectively in the PBL context. Both the tutors' tutoring skills and the students' self-efficacy made important contributions to improving the students' self-regulated learning skills.

Pedagogical moves and student thinking in technology‐mediated medical problem‐based learning: Supporting novice‐expert shift

AbstractTechnology‐mediated simulation is often used in medical problem‐based learning (PBL) approaches to offer authentic contexts and immersive engagement for learning. However, critiques argue that these approaches are lacking in the structure necessary to support productive learning—that they often result in mindless doing without the thinking processes needed that lead to deeper understanding and expertise. This paper presents data from a technology‐mediated simulation, called HMS MEDscience, to demonstrate: (1) that it effectively leads to greater expert reasoning—evident through responses in content knowledge and problem‐solving ability that more closely aligned with a rubric of expert responses to the same questions; (2) through a series of case studies, the implicit pedagogical moves the teachers make to support students' thinking processes. Significant pre‐ to posttest gains indicate more expert reasoning. In addition, classroom videos indicate shifts from novice toward more expert medical science reasoning and illustrate the fine‐grained supporting moves that teachers use to guide students' thinking toward more expert understanding of the problem space. This study highlights the importance of the thinking processes that students engage in as they participate in technology‐mediated PBL and the accompanying teacher attention to student thinking through supporting pedagogical moves. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Technology‐mediated problem‐based learning (PBL) can invite an immersive experience for learners to engage with authentic problems. Broad framing for effective PBL includes features such as structured group work, a tutorial process for structuring knowledge and action plans, constructive investigation, and cognitive mentorship. The results on PBL have been mixed depending upon how it is enacted. It typically takes very skilled teachers and additional inherent structure. What this paper adds It demonstrates that novice‐expert shifts are possible in high school students' reasoning about technology‐supported, medical‐based problem solving. It reveals six nuanced thinking scaffolds that teachers used to support students' shift toward the more expert conceptions. It identifies seven thinking moves that students engaged in during the problem‐solving context. Implications for practice and/or policy It alerts practitioners to the need to attend to the pedagogical moves that they employ to support student thinking. It demonstrates the importance of the thinking processes that students engage in as they participate in technology‐mediated PBL. It demonstrates that successful learning in technology‐mediated PBL contexts is accompanied by teacher attention to student thinking and supporting pedagogical maneuvers.

Interaction and belongingness in two student-centered learning environments

Extant research is inconclusive about how student-centered learning might affect peer interactions, teacher interactions, belongingness, and academic success. This study investigates the relationships in two commonly applied types of learning environments: learning communities (LCs) and problem based learning (PBL). Survey data from 425 first-year university students, enrolled in either an LC (N = 333) or PBL (N = 92) context, provide the input for path analyses to explore two conceptual models. Belongingness appears more important in LCs, whereas for PBL, formal peer interaction seems more important for academic success, which is consistent with the main focus of the two learning environments. LCs are dominantly focused on creating a safe environment and a PBL context is mainly focused on knowledge construction.

O tipping point: usando o discurso diagnóstico de pacientes simulados para educar intérpretes médicos

RESUMO Em detrimento do acúmulo de 10.000 horas de prática antes do domínio sobre algo - o famoso tipping point de Ericsson - intérpretes médicos podem ganhar considerável experiência ao analisar vídeos de interações médico-paciente, mesmo quando esse par fala a mesma língua. Os hospitais-escola comumente filmam tais interações usando pacientes simulados (PSs). Tais filmes têm sido usados em instruções de aula com intérpretes. Aqui, é descrito o uso recente de filmes com PS em um ambiente de aprendizado online, no qual fóruns de discussão e fichas de atividade suplantaram os métodos de trabalho convencionais. Nessa abordagem de aprendizagem baseada em problemas (ABP), típica da educação médica, estudantes de pós-graduação em interpretação em serviços de saúde se familiarizam com o discurso típico de diagnóstico e tratamento. Os alunos relataram que essa familiarização os ajudou a liberar seus recursos cognitivos para planejar e monitorar traduções e outras decisões imediatas. Os materiais e métodos de aprendizado usados nessa abordagem online são descritos detalhadamente. O valor do contexto da ABP é descrito em relação às abordagens educacionais de interpretação para o sistema de saúde de modo geral.

Supporting elementary teachers’ enactment of nature of science instruction: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACTThis embedded mixed method study used a randomised controlled⁠ trial design to examine two cohorts of upper (grades 4–6) elementary teachers’ classroom implementation of nature of science (NOS) instruction following their participation in a statewide professional development (PD). The treatment group (n = 145) was compared to a control group (n = 90), which received no PD. The PD included a summer institute that situated explicit NOS instruction within the context of problem-based learning (PBL). Data sources included videotaped classroom observations across four time points and teacher-generated descriptions of lessons preceding and following the observed lesson including learning objectives. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics and analysed qualitatively for trends in participants’ explicit NOS instruction. Results indicated the majority of treatment teachers (n = 97; 66.9%) accurately taught explicit NOS during the academic year following the summer institute compared to control teachers (n = 2; 2.2%). Participants most often taught about the empirical (69%) and social (63%) aspects of science. Participants’ strategies for integrating NOS varied in temporal placement within the lesson, connectedness to lesson activities, and extent of student-centeredness. These results demonstrate that situated PD that contextualises explicit NOS instruction within PBL facilitated teachers’ explicit NOS instruction compared to teachers who did not receive such instruction.

Effects of success v failure cases on learner-learner interaction

Studies have found that students struggle to challenge their peers and engage in co-construction of knowledge when in asynchronous problem-based learning (PBL) contexts. In other settings, case libraries have been shown to support problem solving competencies, such as argumentation and problem representation. However, research has yet to study how the design and types of cases impact learner-learner interaction. To accommodate that gap, this study used content analysis and sequential analysis to ascertain how learner interaction differed when participants had access to success- and failure-based case libraries. Results found the failure-based condition had higher overall number of postings and differed in terms of the number of elicitations and planning (meta) interactions. Finally, results of the sequential analysis indicated participants in the success-based condition were more likely to begin planning their final assignment earlier, while the failure condition was more likely to continue engaged in collaborative problem-solving with their peers. Given these differences, the findings suggest failure-based cases may serve as a catalyst for learner-learner interaction when compared with success-based cases. Implications for practice, case-based reasoning, and failure-driven memory theory are discussed.