Education Commons^™

The Triple Jump In Problem-Based Learning: Unpacking Principles And Practices In Designing Assessment For Curriculum Alignment, Monaliza M. Chian, Susan M. Bridges, Edward C.M. Lo

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Assessment validity, reliability, and constructive alignment to planned learning outcomes are less understood in the context of integrated, problem-based curricula. This conceptual paper examines a Triple Jump Assessment (TJA) employed as a formative and summative assessment system in the first year of an undergraduate dental program. Specifically, we deconstructed this instantiation of a TJA in terms of management and co-ordination; assessment design and item development; assessment administration; and assessment review, refinement and modification. Four core principles of TJA design for constructive alignment in an integrated, problem-based curriculum were identified as: (a) viewing the assessment design process as a collaborative and …

Problem-Based Learning In Teacher Education, Susan M. Bridges

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

Guest Editors' Introduction: Problem-Based Learning—Promoting Competences, Shaping The Future, Claude Müller, Monika Schäfer, Geri Thomann

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

The Transfer Of Problem-Based Learning Skills To Clinical Practice, Marie T. Stanton, Suzanne Guerin, Terry Barrett

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

The purpose of this article is to present and discuss the reported impact of a fully problem-based learning (PBL) master’s program on the way graduates worked with patients and colleagues in Ireland. These graduates had completed a sixteen-month fully PBL master’s in sonography while concurrently working in clinical practice. Semi-structured telephone interviews were used to collect qualitative data from graduates of the PBL program. PBL graduates reported four notable changes in their approach to clinical practice following the PBL MSc ultrasound program: (1) thinking more before, during, and after clinical practice; (2) more effective communication with patients; (3) improved communication …

Design And Evaluation Of A Problem-Based Learning Environment For Teacher Training, Laura Hemker, Claudia Prescher, Susanne Narciss

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Problem-based learning can have a great impact on the acquisition of practical knowledge, which is a central learning aim in the field of teacher education. Therefore, we implemented a problem-based learning approach in four seminars on educational assessment. In this paper, we outline our didactic design and discuss the results of the first evaluations, which explored acceptance of the approach, learning results, and expected applicability of the acquired knowledge.

The results show benefits of the problem-based learning approach, but also room for improvement. Specifically, the use of problems from multiple contexts (theoretical foundations and direct practical application) and the flexible …

Getting Started With Pbl—A Reflection, Tanja Müller, Thomas Henning

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In this paper, we provide insight into the PBL project called PoLiMINT (Problem-oriented Learning in MINT). The project is located at the Bremen University of Applied Sciences and aims to introduce and foster PBL in the introductory phase of a physics study program. Concerning our general conditions, we will present our incremental implementation strategy and address the first elementary steps. In order to demonstrate our Scholarship of Teaching and Learning mode of reflecting the implementation process, we examine selected instructional and pedagogical difficulties and our problem-solving more closely.

Editor's Introduction, Michael M. Grant

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

Call For Special Issue Proposals, Michael M. Grant

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

IJPBL is seeking proposals for upcoming special issues in 2018 and 2019.

Getting Started With Team-Based Learning, Deborah A. Davis

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

Stem High School Teachers’ Views Of Implementing Pbl: An Investigation Using Anecdote Circles, Aimée L. Dechambeau, Susan E. Ramlo

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been gaining in popularity, especially within the context of STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) schools. Program assessments for these schools typically focus on student standardized test scores rather than the needs of the teachers. This study utilized anecdote circles, storytelling via moderated group discussions, to investigate teachers’ needs related to developing and implementing authentic, interdisciplinary PBL activities in an urban, public STEM high school. Teacher experiences and viewpoints were explored within three broad themes: assessment; coaching and training; and authentic learning. The analyses provide insights for transitioning a school for effective PBL implementation as well …

Integrating Web 2.0 Technologies Into Face-To-Face Pbl To Support Producing, Storing, And Sharing Content In A Higher Education Course, Jaana Virtanen, Päivi Rasi

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In this article we present and discuss the process of developing and implementing a PBL-based course entitled Moving Images in Teaching and Learning that was held at the University of Lapland, Finland. In the course of the project, this fairly traditional face-to-face course was redesigned into a blended PBL course by integrating Web 2.0 applications into the course. The pedagogical rationale was to support students’ meaningful learning in various phases of the PBL process, and to enable easy storage and sharing of the ideas produced by the students. In addition, the rationale was to create more opportunities for students to …

Qualitative Research In Pbl In Health Sciences Education: A Review, Jun Jin, Susan Bridges

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

CONTEXT Qualitative methodologies are relatively new in health sciences education research, especially in the area of problem-based learning (PBL). A key advantage of qualitative approaches is the ability to gain in-depth, textured insights into educational phenomena. Key methodological issues arise, however, in terms of the strategies of inquiry, data collection methods, and analytical approaches. This review aims to identify and appraise the current applications of qualitative studies in PBL and indicate possible new methodological directions.

METHODS Two computerized databases, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and PubMed, were screened for solely qualitative studies of PBL in health sciences education between 2000 …

The Impact Of Transdisciplinary Threshold Concepts On Student Engagement In Problem-Based Learning: A Conceptual Synthesis, Maggi Savin-Baden

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

There has been much recent discussion about student engagement in higher education, and in the last few years a number of authors have undertaken extensive international research on the topic, which has been summarized in a number of literature reviews. However, to date, there has been relatively little in-depth exploration of student engagement in problem-based learning (PBL) or the impact of different forms of engagement on distinct forms of PBL. Drawing on a number of studies over the last 15 years, this paper argues that student engagement in PBL can be troublesome as both a concept and a practice. It …

A Review Of Video Triggers And Video Production In Higher Education And Continuing Education Pbl Settings, Päivi M. Rasi, Sari Poikela

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Higher education faces the challenges of bridging education and authentic work. In addition, it needs to respond to the highly multimodal and participatory communication and content creation practices, preferences, and cultures of present and future students. The aim of our article is to discuss how the use of video triggers and video production in PBL can help to respond to these challenges. Based on a literature review, we present and discuss the uses and outcomes of video triggers and video production within PBL contexts and related higher education and continuing education contexts. The research evidence reviewed in this article clearly …

Editor's Introduction, Michael M. Grant

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

Online Searching In Pbl Tutorials, Jun Jin, Susan M. Bridges, Michael G. Botelho, Lap Ki Chan

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study aims to explore how online searching plays a role during PBL tutorials in two undergraduate health sciences curricula, Medicine and Dentistry. Utilizing Interactional Ethnography (IE) as an organizing framework for data collection and analysis, and drawing on a critical theory of technology as an explanatory lens, enabled a textured understanding of student practices and beliefs regarding online searching during face-to-face PBL tutorials. Two event maps trace key transitions in learning regarding online searching in one cycle of problem-based learning in each program. From a critical perspective, analysis of students’ stimulated recall interviews indicated that the use of students’ …

Social Constructivism And Case-Writing For An Integrated Curriculum, Alison F. Doubleday, Blase Brown, Philip A. Patston, Pamela Jurgens-Toepke, Meaghan Driscoll Strotman, Anne Koerber, Colin Haley, Charlotte Briggs, G. William Knight

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Case-writing within an integrated, systems-based health professions education curriculum presents many unique challenges. Specifically, case-writing in this context must consider integration of multidisciplinary learning objectives and synthesis of biomedical and clinical sciences. Establishing an effective process for content integration and determining who should be involved in the case-writing process can be a daunting task and this specific context requires a new model for effective casewriting. This paper provides a model for the cycle of case development, implementation, evaluation and modification in an integrated, systems-based health professions curriculum. We highlight how this collaborative case-writing model parallels the social constructivist approach promoted …

The Purpose And Value For Students Of Pbl Groups For Learning, Vicki J. Skinner, Annette Braunack-Mayer, Tracey A. Winning

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Groups are central to problem-based learning (PBL) and educational and professional outcomes relevant to clinical education. However, PBL groups in practice may differ from theoretical conceptions of groups. Therefore, this study explored students’ understandings of the purpose and value of PBL groups for their learning. We conducted a naturalistic study with novice (first-year) students at two dental schools (Australia, Ireland), using observation and interviews analyzed thematically. Students constructed PBL learning as individual knowledge gain, and group purpose as information gathering and exchange; few students acknowledged the learning potential of group processes. Group value depended on assessment and curriculum context. Findings …

The Use Of Pbl In An Interprofessional Education Course For Health Care Professional Students, Kristine M. L'Ecuyer, David Pole, Sheila A. Leander

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

A problem-based learning (PBL) framework was utilized in a series of six interprofessional team seminars (IPTS) for postbaccalaureate students from seven health professions. The goal of IPTS was to develop a collaborative practice-ready workforce prepared to respond to patient care needs through use of concrete examples, skills development, critical thinking, and problem solving in safe, faculty-facilitated small groups. The collaborative nature of PBL closely correlates with teaching methodologies of the IPTS series. This study analyzed critical reflection assignments of nursing students in accelerated programs to determine the effectiveness of IPTS at preparing students for interprofessional collaborative practice. Findings indicated that …

New Approaches To Problem-Based Learning: Revitalizing Your Practice In Higher Education, Sofie M. M. Loyens

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Barrett, T., & Moore, S., Eds. (2014). New approaches to problem-based learning: Revitalizing your practice in higher education. New York, NY: Routledge. 312 pp. ISBN 978-0415871495. $59.95 (paperback).

A Multilevel Analysis Of Problem-Based Learning Design Characteristics, Kimberly S. Scott

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

The increasing use of experience-centered approaches like problem-based learning (PBL) by learning and development practitioners and management educators has raised interest in how to design, implement and evaluate PBL in that field. Of particular interest is how to evaluate the relative impact of design characteristics that exist at the individual and team levels of analysis. This study proposes and tests a multilevel model of PBL design characteristics. Participant perceptions of PBL design characteristics are used to examine PBL reactions and perceived learning outcomes. Findings affirm the importance of problem design characteristics and effective team facilitation, while raising new questions about …

Taking A Leap Of Faith: Redefining Teaching And Learning In Higher Education Through Project-Based Learning, Jean S. Lee, Sue Blackwell, Jennifer Drake, Kathryn A. Moran

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study examines two aspects of teaching with a project-based learning (PBL) model in higher education settings: faculty definitions of PBL and faculty PBL practices, as evidenced by their self-described successes and challenges in implementation. Faculty participants took “a leap of faith” in their teaching practices to redefine what it means to teach and learn using PBL as an instructional methodology. The findings provide insight into how faculty conceptualization of PBL drives implementation; how the PBL approach challenges college-level teachers; and how instructors’ perceptions of their own role in the PBL process impacts how they implement PBL.

Improving Problem-Based Learning In Creative Communities Through Effective Group Evaluation, Richard E. West, Greg S. Williams, David D. Williams

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In this case study, we researched one cohort from the Center for Animation, a higher education teaching environment that has successfully fostered group creativity and learning outcomes through problem-based learning. Through live and videotaped observations of the interactions of this community over 18 months, in addition to focused interviews with nine key community leaders, we considered the evaluative culture and actions of this community, and how these evaluative practices improved their creative problem solving. We describe their evaluation practices in the context of principles derived from the Joint Committees’ Evaluation Standards (Yarbrough, Shulha, Hopson, & Caruthers, 2011), which are well-respected …