In the RCT, PBL students obtained significantly better final exam grades than LBL students, but the meta-analysis found no significant final-exam difference¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesisr2·q3
Currency · newest study 2024 · checked against its sources 2026-10-31 (automated, 2 of 2 entries) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i? The PBL group obtained a significantly better final exam grade (79.86±1.38) than the LBL group (68.1±1.76) in the trial. → Chen Tu 2024
q3 i? The meta-analysis found no significant difference in final exam score between PBL and LBL (SMD = 0.23, 95% CI = -0.08–0.53). → Chen Tu 2024 (2)
Evidence¶
Chen Tu 2024¶
Chen Tu, Zhao Yi-Jing, Huang Feng-Qing, Liu Qun, Li Ying, Alolga Raphael N., Zhang Lei, Ma Gaoxiang. (2024). The effect of problem-based learning on improving problem-solving, self-directed learning, and critical thinking ability for the pharmacy students: A randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314017
q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2
Randomized controlled trial of 57 pharmacy students (PBL n = 28, LBL n = 29) with a theoretical examination scored on a percentage basis; the article reports the printed means and a significant difference with no effect size.
"Furthermore, the PBL group obtained a significantly better final exam grade (79.86 ± 1.38) compared to the LBL group (68.1 ± 1.76)."
Chen Tu 2024 (2)¶
Chen Tu, Zhao Yi-Jing, Huang Feng-Qing, Liu Qun, Li Ying, Alolga Raphael N., Zhang Lei, Ma Gaoxiang. (2024). The effect of problem-based learning on improving problem-solving, self-directed learning, and critical thinking ability for the pharmacy students: A randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314017
q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2
Meta-analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials involving 1819 students, analyzed with the metafor package in R. The article reports no significant final-exam difference with SMD = 0.23 and 95% CI = -0.08–0.53; equivalence was not tested.
"However, there was no significant difference in the final exam score between the PBL group and the LBL control group (SMD = 0.23, 95% CI = -0.08–0.53; Fig 2D)."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- In Chinese neurology training, CBL, PBL, TBL, FCM and EBM each significantly improve theoretical exam scores compared with lecture-based learning — reports the opposite
- PBL significantly improves clinical skill scores compared with lecture-based learning in medical education — related
- 3D + PBL improves theoretical scores in orthopedic education — related
- PBL produces higher examination scores than LBL in undergraduate pharmacology education (SMD = 2.03) — related
- In an RCT, pharmacy students taught with PBL rated their own problem-solving and self-directed learning significantly higher on a questionnaire than LBL students did — related
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