The Problem-based Learning Approach in Baccalaureate Nursing Education: How Effective Is It?

Abstract

Despite the fact that sutdents frequently express dissatisfaction with the didactic lecture method, many baccalaureate nursing programs depend on this format as a comfortable and fair way to meet the varied learning needs of individual students. Thus, students are encouraged to sit passively and absorb knowledge. Occasionally a question may be addressed by lecturer or student, but with the breadth and depth of information to be covered, time is very limited. A specific case study to which to apply the new found concepts, may or may not be used. Given these circumstances, should faculty members then be surprised at high levels of class absenteeism, poor retention of class content, poor levels of applicability to practice situations and poor performance on tests and examinations? The researchers' previous knowledge of the problem-based learning method led them to question whether this concept could be applied to a baccalaureate nursing curriculum as a viable alternative to the traditional lecture.