Related Experiment Videos
Faculty attitudes and opinions about problem-based learning
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine 65212, USA.
Summary
Faculty attitudes toward problem-based learning (PBL) varied significantly based on their participation level and teaching roles in a new medical curriculum. Participants viewed PBL more favorably than non-participants, highlighting its strengths in clinical reasoning.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Curriculum Development
- Faculty Development
Background:
- Existing research on faculty attitudes towards problem-based learning (PBL) has primarily focused on tutors.
- This study investigated the perspectives of non-participating faculty and those involved in alternative roles within a new PBL curriculum.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the attitudes of medical school faculty towards a new problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum.
- To compare the views of faculty who did not participate in PBL with those who participated in non-tutoring roles.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire, previously used for PBL tutors, was administered to 494 faculty members at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine.
- Data was collected at the end of the first year of the new PBL curriculum implementation.
Main Results:
- Faculty participants (76% response rate) held significantly more positive views of the PBL curriculum compared to non-participants (28% response rate).
- Both groups rated the curriculum highly for student interest, clinical preparation, and medical reasoning, but lower for basic science factual knowledge and learning efficiency.
- Faculty attitudes were influenced by their teaching roles, with PBL tutors and small group leaders showing more favorable opinions than lecturers.
Conclusions:
- Faculty attitudes towards the PBL curriculum were strongly correlated with their level and type of engagement.
- Differences in faculty roles plausibly explained variations in their opinions regarding the curriculum's strengths and weaknesses.
- Despite faculty concerns about factual knowledge acquisition, student performance on licensing exams suggested the PBL curriculum effectively supported this area.