In the RCT, PBL students rated their own communication skills and critical thinking significantly higher on a questionnaire than LBL students did¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? On a self-report questionnaire, PBL students rated their communication skills significantly higher (8.86±1.47) than LBL students (7.68±1.89), p = 0.01. → Chen Tu 2024 q3 i? On the same questionnaire, PBL students rated their critical thinking significantly higher (7.96±1.55) than LBL students (6.84±1.96), p = 0.02. → Chen Tu 2024

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? · causal · r2

Same randomized controlled trial of 57 pharmacy students (PBL n = 28, LBL n = 29). The article reports "significantly better communication skills" and significantly higher critical thinking with printed means and p-values; no effect size is printed.

These four outcomes (problem-solving, self-directed learning, communication skills and critical thinking) come from a standard questionnaire the students completed at the end of the 17-week course, so they are students' self-ratings, not observed or tested skills. The trial's only performance measure was a theoretical examination.

"the PBL group had significantly better communication skills (8.86 ± 1.47) compared to the LBL group (7.68 ± 1.89) (p = 0.01). The mean level of critical thinking was also significantly higher in the PBL group compared to the LBL group (p = 0.02)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Critical Thinking — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• PBL students reported significantly higher satisfaction and interest in the course than LBL students — related
• In Chinese neurology education, TBL alone or combined with other methods is associated with improved self-study ability, communication skills, and teamwork ability versus LBL — related
• PBL shows significant advantages in critical thinking compared with traditional education or team-based learning in nursing and clinical student populations — 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
• Students report higher teaching interest and satisfaction in PBL than in traditional teaching in orthopaedics education — related
• PBL teaching improves problem-solving, independent learning, teamwork, communication and clinical reasoning abilities more than traditional teaching in orthopaedics education — related