Problem-based Learning Experience Research Articles

Examining the Application of a Similar Problem-Based Learning Procedure in Teacher Education and Engineering Education Programs

This multiple case study aims to describe how Turkish students in English Language Teaching (ELT) and Electrical-Electronics Engineering Program (EEP) conceive of Problem-based Learning (PBL), and how they experience their studies within a PBL-oriented curriculum. With the inclusion of these two cases into the study, the rationale is to represent two different educational perspectives and to obtain in-depth, extensive, and comparable data. The participants from the ELT and EEP were first-year students who pursued courses in English, which is taught as a foreign language in Turkiye. During one semester, the data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and reflection reports, both of which were analyzed qualitatively with an interpretative phenomenological approach. The results revealed commonalities as well as differences in how students in these two comparable programs perceived and experienced PBL. Commonalities were many in number and involved positive perceptions along with beneficial experiences of PBL. Yet, differences only stemmed from the number of frequencies of some similar issues raised by both groups of students. The most eye-catching difference was that the EEP students emphasized the anticipated benefits of PBL less frequently than the ELT students did. However, at the end of the process, the EEP students proposed benefits gained from PBL more frequently.

A problem-based learning experience in a radiology rotation for sixth-year medical students

ObjectiveTo analyse a problem-based learning experience (PBL) in the sixth year of medicine, within a course organised in successive rotations of 12 school days for 7 annual groups. Material and methodsEach group was divided into subgroups of 6–8 students. Each subgroup was assigned two cases with radiographic images that they had to prepare and present in a joint session in which the students discussed each case and the teacher acted as moderator, without providing solutions. Finally, they had 15 days to complete the debate in an online forum and prepare a written report on each case. ResultsDuring 6 consecutive years, 1001 students participated, whose annual grades ranged between 7.7 ± 1.6 and 9.0 ± 0.7 (mean ± standard deviation). No correlation was found between the degree of difficulty assigned to the cases and the mean score obtained by each group (R2 = 0.0115). Sixty-six point two percent completed a questionnaire rating various aspects of this experience above 4 out of 5 points and providing overall scores above 8.3 out of 10 points in the different years. The students found this experience appropriate to the objectives of the subject and useful for their educational needs. ConclusionsPBL allows students to acquire skills of understanding, reasoning and deepening in radiological diagnosis. This study demonstrates that an experience based on PBL can be included in a radiology course organised in a traditional way, allowing students to be graded regardless of the difficulty of the cases.

A Systematic Review of Preservice Science Teachers’ Experience of Problem-Based Learning and Implementing It in the Classroom

A Systematic Review of Preservice Science Teachers’ Experience of Problem-Based Learning and Implementing It in the Classroom

Situations that prompt teachers in problem-based curricula to reflect on their beliefs, identity and mission

Teachers have different perceptions of how to enhance student learning. Whereas some take a teacher-centred perspective, others lean more towards a student-centred approach. Many studies in higher education have invoked Korthagen’s onion model (2014) to explain how teachers’ perspectives can impact their teaching practices. Spanning six interrelated layers, this model contains both outer (environment, behaviour, competencies) and inner (beliefs, identity, and mission) aspects. Focusing essentially on teachers’ outer aspects, previous studies have paid scant attention to how particular situations affect teachers’ inner aspects and, consequently, how teachers perceive student-centred learning. In this descriptive qualitative study, we explored situations that encouraged or discouraged teachers to embrace student-centred beliefs, identities and missions. We held three focus-group discussions with 18 teachers from two Indonesian medical schools, performing a thematic analysis of the data thus obtained. We found that certain situations made teachers reflect on their inner aspects, which either favourably or adversely affected their acceptance of a student-centred learning approach. Teachers’ outer aspects (i.e. their prior problem-based teaching and learning experiences, learning situations from their own training as well as clinical duties) strongly interacted with their inner aspects, thereby shaping their teaching perspectives. Understanding how specific situations can influence teachers’ inner aspects might help institutions to design faculty development programmes that address teachers’ specific educational needs.

Impact of Problem-Based Learning on the Perception, Understanding, and Application of Statistical Concepts in Business Administration and Management Students

We investigate the impact of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach supplemented by student-created videos on the teaching of Probability Calculation and Inference Statistics in Business Administration and Management Studies. To that aim, we analyse survey results gathered from a sample of students from the Business Administration and Management and Law-Business Administration and Management degrees at the University of Zaragoza who participated in the PBL experience, focusing on their perceptions, skill development, dynamics of collaboration, and communication with teachers and classmates. Additionally, a comparative study of their final grades is conducted, comparing them with that obtained by students who did not engage in PBL. Our findings reveal that PBL significantly enhances students’ understanding and motivation, along with their communication with teachers, particularly among repeating students, and teamwork skills, particularly among beginners. Furthermore, students participating in PBL activities tended to achieve significantly higher grades than their nonparticipating counterparts did. Moreover, our study contributes to the discourse on sustainable education by highlighting the potential of PBL as a pedagogical approach aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. By promoting active learning, collaborative problem solving, and communication skills, PBL fosters a culture of lifelong learning and empowers students to address real-world challenges in a sustainable manner. These findings have implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to promote sustainability in higher education through effective pedagogical practices.

Improving University Students' Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: How Problem-Based Learning Works during COVID-19 Pandemic?

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading all around the world, higher learning institutions were forced to shut down or limit the people in contact to control the spread of diseases. Under this circumstance, remote learning that emphasized learning via online setting was 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 improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The remote learning PBL module was conducted using the 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 in students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills after remote learning PBL class. On the other hand, thematic analysis of students’ feedback on remote learning PBL class- first, second, and third meetings, 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 distracted 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.

Problem-Based Learning in Remote Learning Scenario Utilizing Climate Change Virtual Reality Video in Mobile Application to Train Critical Thinking

The imperative to address climate change in educational curricula stems from its profound implications for the sustainability of human life. A crucial aspect of this education is fostering critical thinking (CT) in students, as they form their perspectives on climate change. Traditional teaching approaches alone have proven inadequate in developing students' CT concerning this complex issue, particularly when learning remotely. To address this challenge, students must be actively engaged with the realities of climate change. In response to this need, the current study aimed to apply the problem-based learning (PBL) in remote learning scenario utilizing climate change virtual reality (VR) video in mobile application to train students’ CT skills. Utilizing a mixed method approach, the study involved 86 high school students, divided evenly between experimental and control groups, using a 'true experimental design' to quantify CT skill improvements. Complementing the quantitative data, the study also conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers participating in the interventions, providing valuable insights into their responses to the learning methods. The instruments used to measure students' CT skills were carefully validated for psychometric properties (validity and reliability). The study's overall findings indicate that the PBL approach integrated with climate change VR videos in mobile applications effectively enhances students' critical thinking skills, surpassing the outcomes of traditional teaching methods. Moreover, the feedback received from teachers who took part in the teaching interventions was overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing the efficacy of the learning approach. This research highlights the significance of implementing PBL and VR experiences to cultivate CT among students, particularly in the context of climate change education.

The best of the old and the best of the new: the postgraduate experience of problem-based learning during COVID-19

The best of the old and the best of the new: the postgraduate experience of problem-based learning during COVID-19

What does learning sound like? A STEM outreach experience

What an acoustic engineer does is generally not well understood by high school students, and this likely applies to the broader architecture and design fields. Acoustic engineers and architects who are engaged in the design of high schools and classrooms also may not have been in a class of students since they left school. This presentation outlines a Problem Based Learning experience run for high school students in Australia which provided insight into the above gaps for both students and practitioners. The student-centred challenge has been run in two formats. The first was run weekly over three 100 minute sessions, while a condensed format was later run as an 80 minute hands-on design challenge. Both formats involved an architect(s) and an acoustician facilitating the challenge. The students considered the use, acoustic requirements and affordances of design in a classroom. Students were given a classroom with poor acoustics and challenged to develop and present a design solution which improved the area for learning, including room acoustics. The challenge involved mathematics (Sabine equation), measurement (including scale and reverberation time), and architecture.

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.

Digital Redesign of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) from Face-to-Face to Synchronous Online in Biomedical Sciences MSc Courses and the Student Perspective

PBL is a widely used teaching approach that is increasingly incorporating digital components. Although, by its nature, a face-to-face approach is the preferred mode of delivery, its digital counterpart is gaining ground. The current paper discusses the digital redesign of PBL in an MSc in Biomedical Sciences. Face-to-face and online PBL followed the seven steps of the PBL process, and each case was completed in three sessions. For the delivery of online PBL, collaborative tools were utilized, including CiscoWebex, the online platform for synchronous meetings, and OneDrive, shareable PPT, and Moodle for synchronous and asynchronous self-directed learning. Three cohorts were followed, and students had both face-to-face and online PBL experiences. Student feedback was obtained using focus groups, and data analysis utilized a deductive and inductive approach. Our data indicate that CiscoWebex is a suitable and user-friendly platform for synchronous online PBL. The students enjoyed both formats and stated that online PBL is an effective teaching approach for promoting student learning. In regards to student interaction, the face-to-face mode was preferred, while online PBL was perceived as more organized. The redesign allowed for effective student learning and could pave the way forward for a fully online MSc program in Biomedical Sciences.

Towards a partnership model for developing core abilities

A tutor and a student together propose a model for integrated student and staff engagement that concentrates on developing students’ core abilities. They build upon their respective experiences of self-managed problem-based learning and of the purposeful promotion of core abilities. They explore the potential of collaborative interaction between trainee tutors and their students, who are both freshly engaged in self-managed experiential learning. The authors’ use of the Kolb Cycle as a framework is exemplified in the student-author’s experiential learning. They relate and comment upon the tutor-author’s iterative attempts to overlap experiential learning cycles for trainee tutors and their students, and extend the emerging model by adding purposeful peer interactions and regular evidence-based evaluations. Their completed scheme features a partnership wherein tutors’ growing experiences of structuring and facilitating socio-constructivist learning are integrated with students’ reflective reviews of recent developmental experiences.

Video Didactic Preparation Augments Problem-Based Learning for First Year Medical Students.

Problem-based learning (PBL) utilizes a self-directed strategy. This process relies on group participation to succeed. Students without a background in biology or medicine can feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the subject matter and unable to participate in the group learning process. We incorporated curated educational videos in the PBL curriculum to help address this situation. First year medical students participated in this study in the form of a typical PBL session. They were then assessed on basic and clinical science knowledge and their learning experience. Student basic science and clinical knowledge were similar between the student groups. However, the students given a list of suggested videos scored higher in their learning experience, perception of feeling prepared, and participating in the group PBL experience than students who were not given the video list. Results from this study indicate that videos can be utilized to enhance the PBL process.

Una experiencia de aprendizaje basado en problemas en un rotatorio de radiología para estudiantes de sexto curso de Medicina

ObjectiveTo analyze a problem-based learning experience (PBL) in the sixth year of medicine, within a course organized in successive rotations of 12 school days for 7 annual groups. Material and methodsEach group was divided into subgroups of 6-8 students. Each subgroup was assigned two cases with radiographic images that they had to prepare and present in a joint session in which the students discussed each case and the teacher acted as moderator, without providing solutions. Finally, they had 15 days to complete the debate in an online forum and prepare a written report on each case. ResultsDuring 6 consecutive years, 1001 students participated, whose annual grades ranged between 7.7±1.6 and 9.0±0.7 (mean±standard deviation). No correlation was found between the degree of difficulty assigned to the cases and the mean score obtained by each group (R2=0.0115). Sixty-six point two percent completed a questionnaire rating various aspects of this experience above 4 out of 5 points and providing overall scores above 8.3 out of 10 points in the different years. The students found this experience appropriate to the objectives of the subject and useful for their educational needs. ConclusionsPBL allows students to acquire skills of understanding, reasoning and deepening in radiological diagnosis. This study demonstrates that an experience based on PBL can be included in a radiology course organized in a traditional way, allowing students to be graded regardless of the difficulty of the cases.

Adoption of Problem-Based Learning in Medical Schools in Non-Western Countries: A Systematic Review

Phenomenon: In recent decades, medical education practices developed in Western countries have been widely adopted in non-Western countries. Problem-based Learning (PBL) was first developed in North America and it relies on Western educational and cultural values, thereby raising concerns about its ‘lift and shift’ to non-Western settings. Approach: This review systematically identified and interpretively synthesized studies on students’ and teachers’ experiences of PBL in non-Western medical schools. Three databases (ERIC, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE) were searched. Forty-one articles were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist and synthesized using meta-ethnography. The final synthesis represented over 5,400 participants from 18 countries. Findings: Findings were categorized into three different constructs: Student Engagement, Tutor Skills, and Organization and Planning. Our synthesis demonstrates that medical students and teachers in non-Western countries have varied experiences of PBL. Students engage variably with PBL, consider knowledge to be better acquired from authoritative figures, and deem PBL to be ineffective for assessment preparation. Student participation is limited by linguistic challenges when they are not native English speakers. Teachers are often unfamiliar with the underlying philosophical assumptions of PBL and struggle with the facilitation style needed. Both students and teachers have developed modifications to ensure that PBL better fits in their local settings. Insights: Given the significant adjustments and resource requirements needed to adopt PBL, medical school leaders and policy makers in non-Western countries should carefully consider possible consequences of its implementation for their students and teachers, and proactively consider ways to ‘hybridize’ it for local contexts.

Does problem-based learning facilitate enactment of learner agency in undergraduate dental curricula? A Q study.

Addressing a literature gap on leaner agency in health profession education, this study explores students' perceptions on which aspects of a problem-based learning (PBL) environment cradle their leaner agency enactment. Thirty-eight students from a newly established undergraduate dental medicine programme in Qatar participated in the study. Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyse data both qualitatively and quantitatively. A 40-statement Q-set was established based on a proposed conceptual framework of learner agency in PBL, including three dimensions-intrapersonal, behavioural and environmental. Q methodological factor analysis identified four significantly different student viewpoints, which underscored participants' enactment of learner agency addressing the intrapersonal, behavioural and environmental dimensions of the conceptual framework. Despite differences in opinion regarding sources of learner agency, the four student viewpoints unanimously underscore the importance of PBL facilitators' expertise to nurture and develop agency amongst undergraduate students. Post-sorting qualitative data further confirmed the quantitative analysis. Time constraints and workload were identified as the main challenges by the participants. This study explored enactment of learner agency as perceived by undergraduate dental students in a PBL curriculum. The findings of this study provide new insights into participants' subjective understanding of learner agency in a PBL curriculum in dentistry. Structured support is needed for students having no prior PBL experiences to develop their learner agency at both intrapersonal and behavioural (self-regulated learning) dimensions, and to ensure they interact with their learning environment proactively.

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>