Tutorial group size moderates SDL gains in PBL: small and medium groups gained SDL, large groups declined¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr2·q3
Currency · newest study 2008 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · 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? Comparing groups of three, six, and nine students, the PBL course led to higher SDL in small and medium groups but lower SDL in large groups, with medium and large groups differing significantly. → Loyens 2008
Evidence¶
Loyens 2008¶
Loyens, S. M. M., Magda, J., & Rikers, R. M. J. P. (2008). Self-Directed Learning in Problem-Based Learning and its Relationships with Self-Regulated Learning. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-008-9082-7
q3 · i? · review · r2
Review reports Lohman and Finkelstein's pretest–posttest comparison of small, medium, and large tutorial groups using Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale. The quote states the direction of change per group size and the significant medium–large difference; no effect size is printed.
"Analysis of the SDL pretests and posttests demonstrated that the PBL course led to higher SDL in small and medium groups but lower SDL in large groups. In addition, medium and large groups differed significantly in SDL"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Effect sizes are highest in medium-sized classes (50–99 students), with class-size differences only marginally significant — related
- Research on PBL covers flexible knowledge, problem-solving, and SDL skills but little on collaboration and motivation — related
- Evidence that PBL fosters SDL is mixed across studies — a broader claim this one bears on
- Staff-tutored tutorial groups achieve slightly but significantly higher marks than peer-tutored groups in problem-based learning — related
- Student tutors are rated as more cognitively congruent than staff tutors in problem-based tutorial groups — related
- No differences between student and staff tutors in focus on cooperation among group members — related
- Project-based learning improves achievement — related
- AI-supported PBL students obtain significantly higher posttest computational thinking scores than traditional-lecture students when controlling pretest scores — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
tutorial-group-size-moderates-sdl |
title |
Tutorial group size moderates SDL gains in PBL: small and medium groups gained SDL, large groups declined |
description |
Tutorial group size moderates SDL gains in PBL: small and medium groups gained SDL, large groups declined |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2008 |
source_checked |
2026-10-20 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-19 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — loyens-2008 |
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