The problem-based group achieved significantly larger content-knowledge gains, while the simulation group made no knowledge gains¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2008 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Evidence quality · No study behind this claim is a peer-reviewed article with a DOI: it rests on a source with no registered publication record (a web page, book or unpublished report). It is kept because 4 design pages cite it; treat it as a lead to check, not an established finding.

Subclaims¶

q3 i? PB learners' knowledge-section gains significantly exceeded PS learners' (T = -3.664, p = .00), and PS students made no knowledge gains over the four weeks. → Newell 2008

Evidence¶

Newell 2008¶

Newell, T. S. (2008). Examining Information Problem-Solving, Knowledge, and Application Gains within Two Instructional Methods: Problem-Based and Computer-Mediated Participatory Simulation. School Library Media Research. https://www.ala.org/aasl/slmr

q3 · i? · causal · r2

In the same randomized two-group trial, the knowledge-section gain comparison reversed the overall result: "The PB learners experienced significantly larger knowledge gains (T = -3.664, p = .00*)"; PS pretest and posttest knowledge means were essentially unchanged (e.g., 36.25 to 36.67 percent).

"The PB learners experienced significantly larger knowledge gains (T = -3.664, p = .00*) after the 4-week implementation period. Furthermore, data suggests that the PS students made no knowledge gains during the 4-week period"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Problem-based learning shows null or negative effects on basic knowledge acquisition but positive effects on conceptual understanding and transfer relative to direct instruction — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• The participatory simulation group achieved significantly larger application gains than the problem-based group — related
• The participatory simulation group showed significantly larger overall (combined knowledge and application) gains than the problem-based group after four weeks — related