This paper proposes an alternative approach to the traditional education paradigm that has prepared students for the old health care environment. In a changing health care environment, problem based learning (PBL) is achieving popularity primarily because educational outcomes parallel the skills and abilities desired of future clinicians and…

Professions are changing rapidly and at an increasing rate, confronting professionals with an unprecedented requirement for adaptability and anticipation. The accelerated growth of knowledge relevant to professions and its relationship to curricula for preparing professionals has been referred to as the "cult of coverage." School culture…

In problem-based learning, an instrument is needed to measure students' actual learning activities. Mapping the domain of learning activities undertaken by students and improving problems is especially important in a problem-based curriculum because students choose their own learning objectives. Such an instrument, the Topic Evaluation…

It is a common public perception that schools are failing to perform their fundamental mission; in the public eye, the responsibility for this failure lies with the administrators leading the schools. Consequently, there has been a litany of criticisms of the programs that prepare administrators, particularly programs located in major research…

The ways in which a rating scale developed for problem-based medical curricula provides information that is useful in the area of curriculum reform were demonstrated in a study involving 95 first-year medical students at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec (Canada). The rating scale, based on the theory of problem-based learning of W. H.…

The design and evaluation of a rating scale for program evaluation in problem-based medical curricula are described. The design process was guided by a theory of how students learn in problem-based learning as modeled by W. H. Gijselaers and H. G. Schmidt (1988). The rating scale was used in an evaluation of a new problem-based, community-oriented…

This collection of papers presents a variety of field-tested examples that use problem-based learning (PBL) for teacher education in many professional development settings. It describes PBL activities for preservice, novice, and experienced educators at all levels. The eight chapters describe teacher educators' experiences using PBL in their…

Problem-based learning in educational administration preparation programs is increasingly the focus of university departments, professors, presenters at symposia, and the literature in the field. This increasing attention, while appropriate, creates the need for additional reflection before organizations move ahead with problem-based learning…

Recommends employing problem-based learning (PBL) in the preparation of geography students for field classes. Utilizing PBL students work on problems drawn from professional practice with the assistance of tutors. Briefly reviews the characteristics, contributions, and issues of PBL and provides an undergraduate geography case study. (MJP)

Describes the problem-based learning methodology used at Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. Objectives of the four-semester course sequence are to emphasize fundamental basic science concepts, develop a system for pharmaceutical diagnosis, facilitate development of clinical problem-solving skills before clerkship, foster team-oriented…

Reports on the positive results obtained from the University of Kentucky's newly installed undergraduate performance-based learning (PBL) surgery clerkship. Favorable results include the PBL students' performance surpassing that of students in lecture-based instruction, and PBL students performing significantly better in the clinical applications…

Describes an honors general physics course designed to demonstrate to students that physics is vital to their understanding of physiology, medicine, the human body, rehabilitation, and other health fields. Presents evidence that indicates that active group learning and connections to real-world applications help students learn physics and apply…

A study evaluated 35 research projects from 1970-92 comparing problem-based learning in medical and nursing education with more traditional methods of instruction. It was found that results generally supported the superiority of the problem-based learning approach for both affective outcomes and academic performance. (Author/MSE)

Higher education institutions around the world are increasingly turning to e-learning as a way of dealing with growing and changing student populations. Education for the knowledge society means new skills and knowledge are needed and it means that lifelong learning has become a necessity. Higher education institutions are looking to e-learning to…

This paper provides a brief overview of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as an instructional methodology. A description of a graduate program for practicing teachers at the University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) is also included. Problem-based learning is a student-centered instructional methodology that teaches content and skills within a knowledge…