PBL in Health Science Education: What is in a Name 50 Years after Inception?

Chiu-Yin Kwan

《Journal of Medical Education》 23卷3期 (2019/09) Pp. 137-142

https://doi.org/10.6145/jme.201909_23(3).0005

摘要

Despite that fifty years have quickly elapsed since the official establishment of problem-based learning (PBL) in health sciences in 1969 and that the number of schools adopting PBL are continuing to climb, there is also an increasing trend of deviation from the original PBL spirits in the operation of PBL education. Three major areas of misconception are identified; that is, the problem platform, process and prospect for PBL. The fact that PBL acronym is usually loosely defined, and that the nature of the problem/trigger being handled remains to be vague collectively give rise to considerable confusion. The process involved in PBL is supposed to take a small group learning format (as opposed to small class teaching), a student-centered learning process (as opposed to teacher-centered learning) which is a prerequisite for self-directed learning. PBL uses ill-structured life-simulating scenarios in which soft skills such as professionalism, critical thinking and social accountability are infused into the problem set. However, considerable PBL problem sets are primarily factual knowledge-based. As a result, knowledge acquisition becomes the major learning objective at the expanse of attainment of soft skills in problem-handling via group dynamics. A lack of the understanding of the PBL process often result in fragmented case-oriented sessions or courses intercalated between the traditional lectures forming various hybrid types of PBL curriculum. I have long ago proposed that a PBL curriculum characteristically should fulfill the following 6-S principles: Scenario-oriented learning, Small group discussion, Supportive facilitation, Self-reflective learning, Student-centered learning and Self-directed learning, and three domains of learning perspectives in PBL case problems: Population, Behavior and Life-science. Not many innovative educational strategies, including case-based learning, project-based learning, team-based learning or practice-based learning, each of the above learning strategies has inherited only few or part of the special characteristics of PBL, but they are not PBL. Similarly, not many schools have faithfully designed PBL curriculum to fulfill these three perspectives representing each letter of its acronym. They are nevertheless important for life-long learning, the ultimate goal of PBL education.

關鍵字

problem-based leaning ； self-directed learning ； student-centered learning ； health science education ； scenario-based leaning ； small group learning

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