Tutoring in problem-based learning medical curricula: the influence of tutor background and style on effectiveness

BACKGROUND: Evidence for the superiority of particular characteristics in PBL tutors in medical curricula is generally inconclusive. Most studies have investigated the effectiveness of content experts compared with that of non-experts as measured either by student satisfaction or academic achievement. A few have compared academic staff tutors with student tutors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between students' perception of overall tutor effectiveness, particular tutor behaviours, clinical qualifications and academic appointment. METHOD: A questionnaire designed to evaluate particular aspects of PBL tutoring technique, related either to subject-matter knowledge or to process-facilitation skill, as well as overall effectiveness, was distributed to students in first year of a PBL medical program at the end of each of three tutor terms. A total of 76 tutor terms were included in the study. Data analysis compared clinical with non-clinical tutors, and staff with non-staff tutors. RESULTS: Clinically qualified tutors used their subject-matter knowledge significantly more than non-clinical tutors and were seen as being more empathic with their students. Staff tutors placed more emphasis on assessment than non-staff tutors and were seen as having greater skill in establishing and maintaining an environment of cooperation within their PBL groups than non-staff tutors. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that both subject-matter knowledge and process-facilitation skills are necessary but not individually sufficient characteristics of effective tutors

Facilitators' influence on student PBL small group session online information resource use: a survey

BACKGROUND: In problem-based learning curricular research has focused on the characteristics of good facilitators and how they influence student performance and satisfaction. Far less frequently addressed has been the question of how PBL facilitators influence the small group session activity of students. We investigated the impact that facilitators' encouragement of use or non-use of the Internet would have on the students' use of online information resources. METHODS: Survey of student and facilitator perceptions of facilitator behavior and student use of online information resources. RESULTS: Students who used online information resources rated their facilitators' behavior as more encouraging, while students in groups who didn't use online information resources during problem-based learning small group sessions rated their facilitators' behavior as less encouraging. This result was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports the role of the facilitator as an influence on medical students in small groups, particularly with respect to facilitator verbal behavior encouraging or discouraging student use of information technology in the problem-based learning small group session

Relevant prior knowledge moderates the effect of elaboration during small group discussion on academic achievement

This study set out to test whether relevant prior knowledge would moderate a positive effect on academic achievement of elaboration during small-group discussion. In a 2 × 2 experimental design, 66 undergraduate students observed a video showing a small-group problem-based discussion about thunder and lightning. In the video, a teacher asked questions to the observing participants. Participants either elaborated by responding to these questions, or did not elaborate, but completed a

How important are student-selected versus instructor-selected literature resources for students’ learning and motivation in problem-based learning?

In problem-based learning (PBL) students are responsible for their own learning process, which becomes evident in, for example, selecting literature resources for individual study. Debate exists about whether it is best to have students select their own literature resources or to present them with a list of mandatory instructor-selected literature resources. The current study investigated the effect of studying instructorselected literature resources versus student-selected literature resources (N = 60) from a predetermined set of literature on several study outcome variables. The results demonstrated that students in the student-selected literature condition scored higher on autonomous motivation, perceived competence, and lower on perceptions of mental effort during studying. The instructor-selected condition led to better test performance on factual test items whereas no difference was found for the conceptual questions. Overall, the results indicate that letting students select their own literature resources can be beneficial in terms of autonomous motivation, perceived competence, and perceptions of mental effort during learning and does not affect conceptual knowledge