A structured PBL tutorial involving small teams for teaching the human nervous system

The Human Nervous System and Behavior course at Harvard Medical School (HMS) incorporates a hybrid model of problem-based learning. Student preparation for and participation in the tutorial seemed to be insufficient.

We sought to increase student engagement in tutorial by creating a structured approach, which included assigned roles for students, weekly testing, formal cornerstone presentations, and a weekly self-assessment exercise. We wished to determine the students' and tutors' satisfaction with this structured approach as compared with the more traditional tutorial experienced in other courses at HMS.

For the first 4 years of the course, students (n = 160) were surveyed concerning their impressions of the quality of the structured approach in comparison with the traditional tutorial. In addition, they were surveyed concerning the cornerstone presentations and the self-assessment exercise. Tutors (n = 10) who had taught in both the traditional and structured tutorial formats were surveyed about their impressions of student performance as well as their own enjoyment in the structured format.

Students and tutors found the structured approach superior to the previous method. Both groups noted increased student preparation, participation, and accountability. Tutors preferred teaching in the structured format.

The structured approach increased student accountability, preparation, and participation. Students and tutors preferred this tutorial experience over the previous approach.