Innovative Assessment and Collaborative Learning Using Problem-Based Learning: Learning Through Construction a Different
This chapter presents the evaluation of the use a modified triple jump for PBL as a summative assessment strategy within an undergraduate nursing curriculum. A retrospective design was adopted to explore and evaluate the experiences of four cohorts of chi
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Innovative Assessment and Collaborative Learning Using Problem-Based Learning: Learning Through Construction a Different Medium in Which to Excel? M. McLoughlin, B. Burns and A. Darvill Abstract This chapter presents the evaluation of the use a modified triple jump for PBL as a summative assessment strategy within an undergraduate nursing curriculum. A retrospective design was adopted to explore and evaluate the experiences of four cohorts of child branch students and their facilitators in relation to this revised assessment strategy. Findings demonstrated improved pass rates at first attempt and evidence of deeper learning and the strengths and weakness of the assessment strategy from the facilitator perspective in this innovative assessment. Keywords PBL triple-jump assessment
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6.1 Introduction Traditionally, students in higher education learn by listening to lectures, working in seminar groups and reading the recommended and core key texts in module reading lists. They are then assessed on their ability to recall and communicate what they have learnt, often via a curriculum founded on the one-way flow of knowledge from theory to practice. However, there are other ways of adapting teaching and learning methodologies and locally, problem-based learning (PBL) has been in use as an innovative approach to student-centred learning since 1998. Wood (2003) defines problem-based learning as an instructional method where students use ‘‘triggers’’ from a given problem, case or scenario, to define their own learning objectives. Subsequently, students do independent, self-directed study before returning to the group to discuss and refine their acquired knowledge. She argues it is not about problem solving per se, but rather uses appropriate problems, often generated from real-life situations, to increase knowledge and understanding M. McLoughlin (&) B. Burns A. Darvill University of Salford, Salford, UK e-mail: [email protected] Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015 M. Li and Y. Zhao (eds.), Exploring Learning & Teaching in Higher Education, New Frontiers of Educational Research, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-55352-3_6
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in students. We would argue that for nursing students, it is vitally important for learning in context to take place. The PBL process is also clearly defined in the literature, and the several variations that exist all follow a similar series of steps (for example, see Gijselaers 1995, Wood 2003, McLoughlin and Darvill 2007). However, in this chapter, we argue that assessment of problem-based learning (PBL) can also be used differently to traditional teaching in higher education; students can work with facilitators, and are assessed on their ability to work in teams and can go through a process of exploring triggers for learning. Barrows defines it as: The learning that results from the process of working towards the understanding of a resolution of a problem. The problem is encountered first in the learning process—(Barrows and Tamblyn 1980:
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