What drives students' self-directed learning in a hybrid PBL curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Inconsistent evidence exists regarding Problem-based learning (PBL) and its impact on students' self-directed learning (SDL) within hybrid curricula.
• Understanding how hybrid PBL curricula influence SDL is crucial for optimizing educational strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of a hybrid PBL curriculum on students' self-directed learning (SDL) abilities.
• To assess students' self-perceived SDL skills and their perceptions of various curricular components' impact on SDL.
• To explore the relationships between specific curriculum elements and students' SDL.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed.
• A 53-item questionnaire was administered to 186 first- and second-year students assessing SDL ability and perceived curriculum influence.
• Student and faculty focus group interviews (FGIs) were conducted to gather in-depth perceptions.

Main Results:

• Students reported high self-assessed SDL skills, particularly in identifying knowledge gaps, learning strategies, and time management.
• Lectures were perceived to aid in topic selection and case preparation, while tutors, objectives, tests, and discussions influenced the learning process.
• Tutorial discussions and objectives showed a weak correlation with SDL ability, yet FGIs supported a positive curriculum influence on SDL.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid PBL curricula positively influence students' perceived self-directed learning (SDL) abilities.
• Specific curriculum components, including lectures and tutorial discussions, are perceived by students to enhance SDL.
• Further research is recommended to elucidate the precise mechanisms through which hybrid PBL impacts SDL.