After removing five outlying studies identified by Galbraith plot, the PBL advantage persisted with low heterogeneity (Hedges' g = 0.592, I2 = 26.807%)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2020 · checked against its sources 2026-11-01 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Removing the five studies outside the Galbraith plot boundaries reduced heterogeneity to non-obvious levels (I2 = 26.807%, p = 0.251) while the PBL advantage remained significant (Hedges' g = 0.592, 95% CI 0.415–0.770, p<0.001, fixed effect model). → Gao Junwei 2020

Evidence¶

Gao Junwei 2020¶

Gao Junwei, Yang Ling, Zhao Jinghui, Wang Lian, Zou Jiao, Wang Chunxiang, Fan Xiaotang. (2020). Comparison of problem-based learning and traditional teaching methods in medical psychology education in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243897

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r2

Sensitivity-oriented re-analysis of four remaining studies (250 cases, 256 controls) after a Galbraith plot identified five studies affecting heterogeneity. The pooled fixed-effect estimate was "Hedges’ g = 0.592", still significantly favoring PBL.

"After removing them, no obvious heterogeneity was found across studies (I2 = 26.807%, p = 0.251). A forest plot indicated that the total examination scores of students in the PBL group were still significantly higher than those of controls (Hedges’ g = 0.592, 95% CI 0.415–0.770, p<0.001)"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

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• Removing 5 heterogeneous studies leaves the PBL advantage intact (SMD 0.79) with reduced heterogeneity, and the Liu et al study most affects stability — related
• PBL teaching improves problem-solving, independent learning, teamwork, communication and clinical reasoning abilities more than traditional teaching in orthopaedics education — related
• PBL's examination-score advantage holds across student majors, publication years, and class sizes, but heterogeneity remains high in all subgroups — related
• The overall effect of PBL in the tutor-background meta-analysis is modest (g = 0.27) with large, statistically significant heterogeneity — related
• No single study affected the statistically significant PBL advantage in sensitivity analysis — related
• In the clinical medicine subgroup, PBL students' total examination scores were significantly higher than controls (Hedges' g = 2.086) — related
• PBL is associated with significantly higher total medical psychology examination scores than traditional lecture-based teaching in China (Hedges' g = 1.510) — related