Izvorni znanstveni članak
Short-term Effects of Problem-based Learning Curriculum on Students’ Self-directed Skills Development
Bektas Murat Yalcin
Tevfik Fikret Karahan
Demet Karadenizli
Erkan Melih Sahin
Sažetak
Aim: To investigate short-term effects of problem-based learning on students’ scientific thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills.
Methods: The study was conducted in two medical schools, Ondokuz Mayıs University in Samsun and Trakya University in Edirne, Turkey. The two schools used different instructional approaches in educational methods: Ondokuz Mayıs University followed a problem-based learning curriculum and Trakya University a traditional didactic curriculum. Three groups of students were included as follows: (a) 83 first-year from Ondokuz Mayıs University, who passed an English language proficiency exam; (b) 146 students who failed English language proficiency exam and had to spend a year attending preparatory English language classes before starting their first year at Ondokuz Mayıs University (first control group); and (c) 124 students first-year students from Trakya University (second control group). All participants completed the Problem Solving Inventory, Scientific Thinking Skills Questionnaire, and Conflict Resolution Scale at the beginning of the 2003/2004 academic year. The tests were re-administered to same students at the end of the academic year, ie, 10 months later.
Results: Analysis of covariance revealed no differences in pre-test scores among the problem-based learning, first, and second control groups in their scientific thinking (9.0±71.2, 8.9±3.2, and 8.7±1.3, respectively; P=0.124), problem solving (132.2±15.4, 131.2±16.2, and 132.1±17.4, respectively; P=0.454), and conflict resolution skills (112.3±14.6, 109.7±12.8, and 110.2±11.4, respectively; P=0.07). The study group in comparison with first and second control group had significantly better post-test results in scientific thinking (13.9±3.5, 9.5±2.2, and 9.1±2.7, respectively), problem solving (125.5±12.6, 130.1±11.2, and 131.1±15.4, respectively), and conflict resolution skills (125.4±12.7, 110.9±23.7, and 111.6±23.6, respectively) (P<0.001 for all). The skills of the two control groups did not improve in this time period and their post-test scores were not significantly different.
Conclusion: Problem-based learning curricula may positively affect some of the self-directed skills, such as scientific thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills of students, even in a short period of time.
Ključne riječi
education; problem-based learning; self-directed skills; Turkey
Hrčak ID:
4187
URI
Datum izdavanja:
9.6.2006.
Posjeta: 1.708 *