Does PBL Make Medical Students Life long learners?

Abstract

Introduction: our medical school has switched from traditional to integrated modular spiral outcome basedcurriculum. Problem based learning has been introduced as one of the main teaching/learning strategies. One of the major benefits of PBL mentioned in the literature is to make student a lifelong learner. However it is not easy to assess that PBL imparts this basic feature of adult learning in students. PBL is used as learning strategy in the first 02 years of medical curriculum, so that the lifelong learning capability can be assessed in the last three years of medical school. Objective: To determine the role of PBL in developing lifelong learning ability among medical students. Study Design: A quantitative cross sectional co-relational study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Islamic International Medical College in April 2012. Materials and Methods: Three hundred students from 3rd to final year MBBS were distributed Revised Jefferson scale of Physician Lifelong learning (JeffSPLL) at the start of the lecture. The questionnaire was collected at the end of the lecture. Results: Data was collected from JeffSPLL inventory. This was entered into SPSS 18. Both non parametric and parametric analysis were done. Non parametric analysis included mean, median and mode of ages and gender of the participants. Parametric analysis was based on Pearson Co relation analysis to find a relationship between the PBL and developing the capability of Lifelong learning. Conclusion: Lifelong learning is multidimensional idea. Factors associated with lifelong learning include need recognition, undertaking research, self-motivation, practical abilities and personal motivations. The discussion will be based on the relationship between the development of lifelong learning skill and the process of Problem based learning. The process of PBL makes the students lifelong learners.

Keywords

• lifelong learners, jefferson's scale, pbl.