Problem-based learning: a new experience in education of pediatric nursing course to nursing students

ABSTRACT

Based on the available evidence and experiment problem-based learning [PBL] is one of the most successful methods in achievement of higher education objective. In this method, learning is basically depended on the group discussion which is helpful in learning of medical subjects on the clinical cases. Despite its advantages, the standard form of problem-based learning method is not applicable in the university courses because of the large number of students and time consuming. In this study, an alteration of the standard PBL was used and the results were compared to those of the lecture-based learning in terms of education and learning. This quasi experimental and two-step study was performed on 60 nursing students, who were attending the course. They were random divided into two equal groups of experiment and control. The topics o pediatric nursing were taught to the experimental group and control group by problem-based learning and lecture-based learning, respectively. The students were evaluated for educational achievement using a multiple choice question test. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Our findings showed that the mean of the final score of the students who learned by PBL method was significantly higher [15.5 +/- 1.6] than that of the students who learned by lecture-based method [12.6 +/- 1.7] [p<0.05]. Our results showed that learning by the modified standard PBL method was more effective and successful than that of the lecture-based method. Therefore, this method is recommended for teaching of special nursing courses