1. Dr. Utham Murali. M.S ; M.B.A.
Dept. of Surgery
IMS / MSU
Malaysia.

2. OPENING THOUGHT

3. Contents of Discussion
• Introduction - Brief History / Definitions
• Characteristics – PBL
• Differences between TL / PBL
• Advantages & Disadvantages – PBL
• Assesment – PBL

4. Brief History
• 1950's - Integrated systems in teaching - USA - Medical School.
• 1960's - PBL introduced in Canadian Medical School.
• 1970's - Most of US and European Medical Schools adopted PBL.
• 1990's - PBL introduced in Medical Schools in UK by Manchester,
Glasgow, Liverpool Universities & also other disciplines.
• 2000 - Introduced into many other professional Schools & Colleges
throughout the world.

5. Pioneers - PBL
• PBL was pioneered in the
Medical School program at
McMaster University in
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in
the late 1960's by Howard
Barrows and his colleagues.

6. 6
Barrows - Objectives - PBL
> Acquire an essential body of knowledge
that is retrievable and usable in all domains.
> Develop the ability to use this knowledge
effectively in the evaluation and care of
patients' health problems. (cognitive skills)
> Ability to extend and improve knowledge to
keep up to date and cope with new problems
that may arise in their professional lives.
(self-directed learning skills).
HOWARD BARROWS
1928-2011

7. Definition - PBL
" A learning method based on the principles of using
problems as a starting point for the acquisition &
integration of new knowledge " - H. Barrows.
" ... a process of acquiring understanding,
knowledge, skills and attitudes in the context of an
unfamiliar situation and applying such learning to
that situation. " - C. E. Engel.

8. Characteristics - PBL
• Learning - Student centered
• Learning - Small groups
• Teachers - Facilitators
• Problems - Stimulus - Learning
• Problems - vehicle - Clinical kills
• New information - SDL

9. Difference - TL & PBL
Lecturer Student
Content

10. Difference - TL & PBL
Lecturer Student
Content
Facilitator
Problem
Solver
Problem

11. Teacher-centeredStudent-centered
New-Innovative
Curricula
Traditional Medical
Curricula
Information gatheringProblem-based
Discipline-basedIntegrated
Hospital basedCommunity- oriented
Standard CourseElectives with core curriculum
Apprenticeship-basedSystematic
 Continuum 
S
P
I
C
E
S
SPICES

12. PBL tutorial
Active learning
Motivation
Integration
Reasoning & HOT-skills
"Deep" learning
F-S Interaction
Use - Resources
Team work
Advantages - PBL

13. PBL tutorial
Large class size
Knowledge - Un-organised
Quality - Control
Cost - wise
"Time" consuming
Inform. - Overload
Resources
Teachers - acquaintation
Disadvantages - PBL

14. Assessment - PBL
FORMATIVE
Group
Students

15. Assessment - PBL
SUMMATIVE
M.C.Q's
M.E.Q's /
E.M.Q's
OSCE's
FORMATIVE
Group
Students