| Learning Objective #1: recognise the positive impact of problem-based learning on enhancing students' learning and practice in different clinical settings. | |||
| Learning Objective #2: share their experiences in adopting the problem-based learning strategy in the context of clinical nursing education. |
Method: 122 year II nursing undergraduates consented to participate in a quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest adopted. 25 of them were assigned to 4 treatment groups and 29 to 4 control groups supervised by the same tutors, whereas 68 in other control groups were assigned to different tutors during clinical placements in which PBL tutorials were utilized. Feedback on group activities was given by the research team to treatment groups as intervention. The revised two-factor Study Process Questionnaires were administered anonymously at the beginning and 6-month to measure changes in students' learning approaches. Focus group interviews were used to elicit students' PBL experience.
Results: 99.2% participants completed the questionnaires at both time points. The mean score for deep approach learning increased in treatment groups but decreased in both control groups post PBL implementation. The changes in deep approach learning at 6-month was significant in treatment groups as compared to control groups (p=0.018). Focus group interview data revealed students' positive feelings of PBL experience: think more deeply and broadly, learn actively in a self-directed manner, and a more interactive group learning process.
Conclusions: Problem-based learning cultivates a self-directed learning attitude and fosters a deep approach to learning in the context of clinical nursing education. Guidelines and feedbacks on PBL group activities by an experienced facilitator would help establish a conducive environment for effective clinical teaching and learning.