Enhancing Learning Environments to Foster Self-Regulated Learning in Problem-Based Learning Programs

• In Event: 52.027 - Fostering Deep Learning in Problem-Solving Contexts Through Effective Design of Learning Environments With Technology Support

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of the study is to develop guidelines for optimizing the learning environment of a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum to foster self-regulated learning (SRL). In particular, it aims to examine the effects of allowing students to understand the rationale and expectations of PBL in supporting their engagement in SRL in a PBL program.

Theoretical framework
PBL is an educational method incorporating cognitive theories into instruction (Dolmans, Wolfhagen, Van der Vleuten, & Wijnen, 2001). It has been popular in medical schools since the 1970s (Dolmans et al., 2001), but its effectiveness is diminishing (Moust, Berkel, & Schmidt, 2005). This might be caused by deficiencies in SRL skills among students. The increase amount of available information in recent years (Dørup, 2004) makes SRL more important for students today than when PBL was first introduced.

Students’ SRL problems in PBL were found to be related to their unrealistic expectations and perceptions about the PBL program and environment, as PBL is very different from what students have become accustomed to in high schools (Könings, Brand-Gruwel, & van Merriënboer, 2007). Understanding the rationale and expectations behind PBL and aligning these expectations and perceptions to those of the faculty might make students more willing to engage in SRL behaviors.

In this ongoing project, we will try to incorporate such an element into the design of a PBL environment to foster deep learning via self-regulation.

Methods
90 first-year students from the Health Sciences undergraduate program (mean age = 19.7, 79% female) are randomly allocated to one of three conditions for an eight-week PBL program on threats to overall health. The experimental condition involves a workshop comparing and contrasting students’ perceptions and expectations about PBL to those of the faculty. The workshop-only condition involves a workshop on a topic unrelated to PBL, but on the influence of college on students’ social life. In the baseline condition, no workshop is provided.

Students’ perceptions and expectations are measured using the Perceptions and Expectations about College questionnaire (Weinstein, Palmer, & Hanson, 1995). Their engagement in SRL is measured using the MSLQ (Pintrich, Smith, García, & McKeachie, 1993). ANOVA are used to test the effect of the conditions on SRL performance.

Results and conclusions
The learning environment with explicit perceptions and expectations is found to be most fruitful for SRL development. Students in the experimental condition are found to outperform those in other two conditions on SRL engagement.

Scientific or scholarly significance
As PBL continues to be important across the world, learning environments need be optimized to successfully educate future professionals for example by helping them to engage in SRL. According to the finding of this study, the PBL environment can be improved to help students compare and contrast their expectations and perceptions about PBL to those of the faculty, by incorporating some applications e.g. concept mapping techniques with graph comparison (De Souza, Boeres, Cury, De Menezes, & Carlesso, 2008) or a forum discussion.

Authors

• Sanne Rovers, Maastricht University

• Geraldine Clarebout

• Jeroen J.G. Van Merrienboer, Maastricht University