Deep and surface learning in problem-based learning: a review of the literature

In problem-based learning (PBL), implemented worldwide, students learn by discussing professionally relevant problems enhancing application and integration of knowledge, which is assumed to encourage students towards a deep learning approach in which students are intrinsically interested and try to understand what is being studied. This review investigates: (1) the effects of PBL on students’ deep and surface approaches to learning, (2) whether and why these effects do differ across (a) the context of the learning environment (single vs. curriculum wide implementation), and (b) study quality. Studies were searched dealing with PBL and students’ approaches to learning. Twenty-one studies were included. The results indicate that PBL does enhance deep learning with a small positive average effect size of .11 and a positive effect in eleven of the 21 studies. Four studies show a decrease in deep learning and six studies show no effect. PBL does not seem to have an effect on surface learning as indicated by a very small average effect size (.08) and eleven studies showing no increase in the surface approach. Six studies demonstrate a decrease and four an increase in surface learning. It is concluded that PBL does seem to enhance deep learning and has little effect on surface learning, although more longitudinal research using high quality measurement instruments is needed to support this conclusion with stronger evidence. Differences cannot be explained by the study quality but a curriculum wide implementation of PBL has a more positive impact on the deep approach (effect size .18) compared to an implementation within a single course (effect size of −.05). PBL is assumed to enhance active learning and students’ intrinsic motivation, which enhances deep learning. A high perceived workload and assessment that is perceived as not rewarding deep learning are assumed to enhance surface learning

The effect of midterm peer feedback on student functioning in problem-based tutorials

Within Problem-Based Learning successful learning depends on the quality of cognitive, social and motivational contributions students make to the tutorial group. But at the same time, not all students in PBL automatically contribute in a high quality manner, which might impede successful group functioning. This study investigated whether peer process feedback combined with goal setting can be used to improve the quality of students' individual contributions. A mixed-methods explanatory design, in which 74 second-year Health Sciences students participated, combined a pre- and posttest with a focus group. The results indicated that the quality of the contributions only increased for students with a below average score on the pre-test. The qualitative data confirmed that the impact of the feedback could be increased by combining individual reflection by means of goal setting with face-to-face discussion. Another suggestion is to investigate whether midterm peer process feedback is more effective for first year students, because they are still developing their tutorial behavior, as opposed to second year students

Assessing students in community settings: the role of peer evaluation

The assessment of students in community settings faces unique difficulties. Since students are usually posted in small groups in different community settings and since the learning (largely) takes place outside the classroom, assessing student performance becomes an intrinsically complex endeavor. In this article, the proposition is made and tested that peers may be used to accurately assess particular aspects of performance, in particular those which need extensive and close observation. Examples are: Effort displayed while working in a community, quality of the interaction with that community, display of leadership, and subject-matter contributions

Patient handover in a European border region: Cross-sectional survey study among healthcare workers to explore the status quo, potential risks, and solutions

Introduction: While the popularity of international care is rising, the complexity of international care compromises patient safety. To identify risks and propose solutions to improve international care, this study explores experiences of healthcare workers with international handovers in a European border region.Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to reach out to 3000 healthcare workers, working for hospitals or emergency services in three neighboring countries in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. In total, 846 healthcare workers completed the survey with 35 closed- and open-ended questions about experiences with international patient handover.Results: One-third of respondents had been involved in international handover in the previous month. The handovers occurred in planned and acute care settings and were supported by numerous, yet varying standardized procedures. Healthcare workers were trained for this in some, but not all settings. Respondents mentioned 408 risks and proposed 373 solutions, which were inductively analyzed. Six identified themes classify the level on which risks and accompanying solutions can be found: awareness, professional competencies, communication between professionals, loss of information, facilities and support, and organizational structure.Discussion: This study gives insight in international patient handovers in a European border region. Among the biggest risks experienced are procedural differences, sharing patient information, unfamiliarity with foreign healthcare systems, and not knowing roles and responsibilities of peers working across the border. Standardization of procedures, harmonization of systems, and the possibility for healthcare workers to get to know each other will contribute to reach common ground and move towards optimized and patient-safer cross-border care

Motivational Social Visualizations for Personalized E-Learning

A large number of educational resources is now available on the Web to support both regular classroom learning and online learning. However, the abundance of available content produces at least two problems: how to help students find the most appropriate resources, and how to engage them into using these resources and benefiting from them. Personalized and social learning have been suggested as potential methods for addressing these problems. Our work presented in this paper attempts to combine the ideas of personalized and social learning. We introduce Progressor + , an innovative Web-based interface that helps students find the most relevant resources in a large collection of self-assessment questions and programming examples. We also present the results of a classroom study of the Progressor +  in an undergraduate class. The data revealed the motivational impact of the personalized social guidance provided by the system in the target context. The interface encouraged students to explore more educational resources and motivated them to do some work ahead of the course schedule. The increase in diversity of explored content resulted in improving students’ problem solving success. A deeper analysis of the social guidance mechanism revealed that it is based on the leading behavior of the strong students, who discovered the most relevant resources and created trails for weaker students to follow. The study results also demonstrate that students were more engaged with the system: they spent more time in working with self-assessment questions and annotated examples, attempted more questions, and achieved higher success rates in answering them

Design and evaluation of a clinical competency committee

Introduction In postgraduate medical education, group decision-making has emerged as an essential too