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Does problem-based learning work? A meta-analysis of evaluative research
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine 65212.
Summary
Problem-based learning (PBL) significantly enhances medical students' program evaluations and clinical performance compared to traditional methods. However, differences in factual knowledge and National Board of Medical Examiners Part I scores were not significant, with some data suggesting traditional methods may be superior in specific areas.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Educational Psychology
- Curriculum Development
Background:
- Traditional medical education methods have been the standard for decades.
- Problem-based learning (PBL) emerged as an alternative pedagogical approach.
- Evaluative research comparing PBL and traditional methods is crucial for understanding their relative effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize all available evaluative research comparing problem-based learning (PBL) with traditional medical education methods.
- To assess the comparative effectiveness of PBL across various student outcomes.
- To provide evidence-based insights into the value of PBL in medical training.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a comprehensive review of evaluative research from 1970 to 1992.
- Performed five separate meta-analyses on 35 studies from 19 institutions.
- Utilized effect-size and supplementary vote-count analyses where applicable.
Main Results:
- PBL was significantly superior in student program evaluations (dw = +.55) and clinical performance (dw = +.28).
- No significant differences were found in factual knowledge (dw = -.09) or clinical knowledge (dw = +.08).
- Traditional methods showed better performance on the National Board of Medical Examiners Part I (NBME I) (dw = -.18), though results were heterogeneous.
Conclusions:
- The findings generally support the superiority of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach over traditional medical education methods.
- PBL positively impacts student attitudes and clinical skills, suggesting its value in medical training.
- Further research is needed to clarify performance on standardized examinations like the NBME I due to observed heterogeneity.