A large number of studies in CMC have assessed how social interaction, processes and learning outcomes are intertwined. The present research explores how the degree of self-determination of learners, that is the motivational orientation of a learner, influences the communication and interaction patterns in an online Problem Based Learning…

Recent findings from research into Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) have indicated that not all learners are able to successfully learn in online collaborative settings. Given that most online settings are characterised by minimal guidance, which require learners to be more autonomous and self-directed, CSCL may provide conditions…

Studied the main effects of problem-based learning on knowledge and skills and explored potential moderators of the effect of problem-based learning in a meta-analysis of 43 articles. Findings show a robust positive effect on skills, but a tendency to a negative effect, strongly influenced by two studies, on student knowledge. (SLD)

Previous research on students' learning strategies has examined the relationships between either perceptions of the learning environment or personality and learning strategies. The focus of this study was on the joint relationships between the students' perceptions of the learning environment, their personality, and the learning strategies they…

This meta-analysis investigated the influence of assessment on the reported effects of problem-based learning (PBL) by applying Sugrue's (1995) model of cognitive components of problem solving. Three levels of the knowledge structure that can be targeted by assessment of problem solving are used as the main independent variables: (a) understanding…

Describes the development process of program evaluation at the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University, The Netherlands and the problem-based legal curriculum used at the school. Provides some preliminary findings and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the current program evaluation system as a tool of internal quality management. (SLD)

The study aimed to determine if students in a redesigned course, firstly, hold different perceptions of the assessment demands and, secondly, adjusted their learning strategies towards deeper learning. Contrary to expectations, the students in the original assignment-based (ABL) course (n = 406 students) adopted more deep- learning strategies and…

During the last decades, traditional learning environments have been criticised for not developing the prerequisites for professional expertise (H. Mandl, H. Gruber & A. Renkl, "Interactive minds: Life-span perspectives on the social foundation of cognition," pp. 394-412, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1996; P. Tynjala, "International…