Critical Thinking Development in a "Hybrid" Model of Problem-based Learning Programme

The Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, implemented a New Integrated Curriculum (NIC) in 1998. Problem-based and evidence-based approaches were introduced within this modified conventional system-based curriculum, to encourage self-directed learning and to sharpen problem-solving skills. Small group problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials were incorporated into the pre-clinical and early clinical years. To help assess the effectiveness of the PSL tutorials, evaluation of the tutorials in the form of self-administered questionnaires were carried out regularly. Among the competencies expected to be achieved by the students within a PBL environment were skills in critical thinking. In our survey, 90% of the Phase II (paraclinical) students agreed that the PBL tutorials had helped them improve their critical thinking. A similar percentage of facilitators also agreed that critical thinking had been induced. In an attempt to assess the improvement of critical thinking as suggested, a Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) survey of the Phase II students was conducted and the results were compared with the responses from clinical students who were taught in the ‘old curriculum’ in which there was exposure to PBL. The Study Process Questionnaire is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the extent to which university students are likely to use, as their main approach to learning Students who used deep learning approaches are likely to be those who showed disposition towards critical thinking. It has been reported that traditionally taught medical students have a much lower deep- and achieving-related scores, and higher surface-related scores compared to students in a PBL curriculum Our results, however, showed that in general students that had been exposed to PBL (Phase II) did not achieve the expected score in the deep- and achieving-related questions. Even though students and facilitators perceived that PBL improved critical thinking skills, these preliminary data seemed to suggest that in the present hybrid programme they did not. A possible explanation is that the lecture-based component of the curriculum had rendered PBL ineffective in promoting a disposition towards critical thinking.

並列關鍵字

PBL approaches ； critical thinking ； study process questionnaires.

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