The introduction of large class problem-based learning into an undergraduate medical curriculum: an evaluation (original) (raw)

Problem-based learning in medical education: Developing a research agenda

Adv Health Sci Educ, 1996

While the use of problem-based learning (PBL) methods continues to increase in medical education, three literature reviews of PBL have appeared in the past several years which come to different opinions about their merits. This analysis summarizes the research evidence regarding PBL by examining how well it has met its originators' goals, what we know about how PBL works, and how PBL fares in a goal-free comparison with conventional curricula. A research agenda is suggested to refine our understanding of well-documented effects of PBL, to probe for other possible longer term PBL outcomes, and to examine if and how PBL affects knowledge acquisition and retention. Consistency of evidence from a variety of PBL implementations can help decide whether the effects seen can be attributed to PBL or are the results of other curricular features unique to one setting.

Learning in a problem-based medical curriculum: students' conceptions

Medical Education, 1997

The purpose of this study was to examine students' conception of their learning in a problem-based learning medical curriculum. A multiple case study design was used with two units of analyses: two PBL lab groups; and 15 individual students within each lab group. Data collected included weekly journals by students, video-tapes of PBL sessions, focus group interviews with students, two open-ended questionnaires completed by students, and interviews with the PBL tutors. Three thematic categories of students' conceptions of their learning emerged: (1) awareness of PBL goals and expectations;

How to Apply Problem-Based Learning in Medical Education? A Critical Review

Iberoamerican Journal of Medicine , 2020

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a cornerstone of modern medical education. Principles of PBL are the construction of knowledge, prior knowledge activation, organization of knowledge, elaboration of knowledge, stepwise transfer across contexts and cooperation with other learners. It provides the ability to identify the knowledge, generate and analyze hypotheses that lead to the differential diagnosis of the case according to the complaint of the patient by using history taking, physical exam, and investigations. Application of any innovation such as PBL faces many challenges and obstacles that are related to the students, tutors, learning environment and other stakeholders. We can overcome these obstacles by more training sessions for tutors and students. In addition, the construction of PBL curriculum should be based on a community-oriented approach because it depends on the priorization of common health problems in the surrounding community.

Problem Based Learning: A Review of Experiences of Medical Students

2019

The constructs for teaching Problem Based Learning are very different from traditional classroom or lecture teaching and often requires more preparation time and resources to support small group learning. This review is to assess the experiences of medical students about Problem Based Learning. This review is also to explore the experiences of medical students regarding their concerns and challenges about Problem Based Learning; assess medical students' perceived advantages and disadvantages about Problem Based Learning and explore medical students' knowledge and skills gained through Problem Based Learning. A thorough search of peer reviewed and grey literature from 1987 to 2016 yielded 76 publications that were synthesised and analysed. This review found out that Problem Based Learning could develop the flexible knowledge base of medical students; develop medical students' effective problem solving skills; develop medical students' self-directed lifelong learning skills. This review therefore concludes that the Problem Based Learning curriculum appears to be more effective in teaching medical courses as compared to other experiential approaches. More research is needed to identify more effective and efficient ways of improving the teaching of Problem Based Learning in Medical Schools.

Effectiveness of problem-based learning methodology in undergraduate medical education: a scoping review

BMC Medical Education, 2022

Background Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach that shifts the role of the teacher to the student (student-centered) and is based on self-directed learning. Although PBL has been adopted in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, the effectiveness of the method is still under discussion. The author’s purpose was to appraise available international evidence concerning to the effectiveness and usefulness of PBL methodology in undergraduate medical teaching programs. Methods The authors applied the Arksey and O’Malley framework to undertake a scoping review. The search was carried out in February 2021 in PubMed and Web of Science including all publications in English and Spanish with no limits on publication date, study design or country of origin. Results The literature search identified one hundred and twenty-four publications eligible for this review. Despite the fact that this review included many studies, their design was heterogeneous and only a few p...

Problem-based learning in medical degree teaching: a scoping review

2021

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach that shifts the role of the teacher to the student (student-centred) and is based on self-directed learning. Although PBL has been adopted in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, the effectiveness of the method is still under discussion. We employed a scoping review to appraise available international evidence concerning to the effectiveness and usefulness of PBL methodology in undergraduate medical teaching programs. We applied the Arksey and O’Malley framework to undertake a scoping review. A search of literature published in English and Spanish identified one hundred and twenty four publications eligible for this review. Despite the fact that this review includes many studies, their design is heterogeneous and only a few provide a high scientific evidence methodology (randomized design and/or systematic review with meta-analysis). Furthermore, most are single-center experiences with small sample size and there ar...

Pros And Cons Of Problem-Based Learning In Medical Education: Students’ Viewpoint

National journal of integrated research in medicine, 2016

Background and Objectives: Problem-based learning (PBL) is an innovative educational approach in which the students determine what they need to learn. The present study was done to review the pros and cons of PBL, with the aim to introduce reforms in the traditional teaching methodology.Methods: A total of 200 MBBS students participated in the study. Six PBL exercises were allotted to the students and after their completion, they were asked to fill the questionnaire regarding their perceptions about PBL on a 5-point Likert scale, as well as open ended questions to elicit two reasons each for liking and disliking PBL.Results: Regarding the students' perceptions, the mean/median scores of all the items was found to be ≥ 3, indicating the positive inclination of students towards PBL. The major favourable factors of PBL were the opportunity of group discussion (16%) and better understanding (15.8%). The major drawbacks in PBL were that preparation required more time (20.5%), inadequate discussion (12.8%) and large group size(11.0%) Interpretation and Conclusion: Students generally favour PBL, as it enhances their ability to handle and solve real-life problems; however, few of the challenges are also accompanied with it which should be looked into to improvise it.

Problem-based learning and the medical school: another case of the emperor's new clothes?

AJP: Advances in Physiology Education, 2005

For almost four decades, problem-based learning (PBL) has been the stated cornerstone of learning in many medical schools. Proponents of PBL cite the open nature of the learning experience where students are free to study in depth, unencumbered by the burdens of broad courses based on the memorization of facts; detractors, on the other hand, cite the lack of breadth and factual knowledge required for professional qualification. Both points of view have merit. Professional schools have a different set of needs and requirements, and it is these that drive the curriculum and learning philosophies. The constraints of the professional school are so different from those of the purely academic environment that PBL, while admirably suited to the latter, is just problem solving in the former.

The Perception and Usefulness of Problem Based Learning Among medical students

InternatIonal archIves of MedIcIne, 2015

Background: Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been increasing adopted in medical school worldwide. Problem based learning is an instructional strategy in which learner-centred method is utilised and “problems” are used as the focus of learning in small groups. Problem- based learning grounded in cognitive theory and with its origins in medical education, is a useful approach for teaching students how to think critically and solve problems they will encounter. Objectives: To determine the student’s perception and usefulness of problem based learning among the clinical specialties of medical departments of Melaka Manipal Medical College. Methodology: College based cross sectional study was conducted at Melaka Manipal Medical College, Melaka, Malaysia from August to October 2012. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to final year medical students who had undergone PBL classes in all discipline. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 16 software. To assess perception, five points Likert scale was used for scoring. Results: There were 220 students participated in this study and ma- jority of the respondents were Malay 84 (38.2%) with mean age of 23 years (SD: 0.88). Most of the students (78.3%) perceived that facilitator motivated them to study during the session, (76.9%) percei- ved that PBL classes were well plan and structure and (75%) of them perceived that PBL classes helped them to identify the weakness in learning topics and to develop communication skill. Regarding useful- ness of PBL classes more than 90% of students stated that PBL classes helped them to develop team collaboration, self-directed learning, and problem solving skill.