PBL teaching model as defined by Kinkade: small-group, case-based learning with hypotheses and out-of-class objectives¶

Design · All designs
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article adopts Kinkade's definition of the PBL teaching model as "a curriculum of carefully selected activities that test the learner's critical knowledge acquisition, problem-solving, self-directed learning, and team-participation capacities." Students work in small groups, generate hypotheses about a given case and learning objectives, work outside of class hours to fulfill learning objectives, and then reconvene and solve the problem. In the reviewed studies, PBL was applied for one semester in experimental groups, either alone or combined with LBL, with teachers facilitating student learning through experimentation, clinical cases, and seminars.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

Small-group student work with case materials and learning objectives
Out-of-class work to fulfill learning objectives before reconvening to solve the problem

Constraints¶

In the reviewed Chinese studies, PBL was applied for only one semester, and in combination courses less than half of lessons used PBL methods due to teaching condition limitations

Target Learners¶

Undergraduate medical students in introductory courses

Learning Goals¶

Critical knowledge acquisition, problem-solving, self-directed learning, and team-participation capacities

Claims¶

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

Zhang Yanqi, Zhou Liang, Liu Xiaoyu, Liu Ling, Wu Yazhou, Zhao Zengwei, Yi Dali, Yi Dong. (2015). The Effectiveness of the Problem-Based Learning Teaching Model for Use in Introductory Chinese Undergraduate Medical Courses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120884

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`design`
`id`	`pbl-kinkade-definition-small-group-case-based`
`title`	`PBL teaching model as defined by Kinkade: small-group, case-based learning with hypotheses and out-of-class objectives`
`description`	`The article adopts Kinkade's definition of the PBL teaching model as "a curriculum of carefully selected activities that test the learner's critical knowledge acquisition, problem-solving, self-directed learning, and...`
`status`	`review`
`generated`	by `process:settle-candidates` on `2026-11-01`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `zhang-yanqi-2015`

Frontmatter is the page's machine-readable record — see the Schema & Guide.