1. Transformation of student self-regulated learning over a
Problem-Based Learning year Sarah Hyde [email_address] Pip Yabsley
[email_address] Donna Read [email_address] CSUEd 2009, Albury
2. Overview of presentation
Introduction to concepts of self-regulation and problem-based
learning, previous literature
Overview of the context of the study
Outline of research questions and method
Results so far
Our interpretation of the results, theoretical perspective
Implications for practice
3. What is self-regulated learning (SRL)?
Student ability to monitor and control their own learning
processes
Self-reflection is a key process
Indicators: goal setting, motivation, time management, seeking
help, use of resources, reflection, metacognition
4. Traditionally accepted definition
Students can be described as self-regulated to the extent that
they are metacognitively , and behaviourally active participants in
their own learning process
(Zimmerman 1989)
5. Problem based learning (PBL)
A social learning experience; student-centred
Small groups; authentic problems
Clinical reasoning process
Students assume responsibility for their own learning driven by
own learning issues
Relies on prior knowledge
A process of collaborative knowledge construction
6. Context
Bachelor of Clinical Science course
First cohort of third year students
Rural pathway program
PBL in final year only: Integration of 2 year long
subjects:
HLT310 Reflective Clinical Practice (4 modules)
HLT320 Research in Clinical Practice
7. PBL implementation
10 students at beginning, dropped to 9
3 x 1.5 hour compulsory PBL sessions each week + 6 hours
resource sessions
Two groups in first half of year
One group in second half
Different tutor each module
Content expert in last module
8. Assessment
A reflective portfolio kept for the year (50%), collected at
random
Participation in PBL self, peer, and tutor evaluation
(30%)
End of year exam (20%)
Ethics form, lit review, oral and poster presentation, research
project
9. The literature says.
PBL enhances self-directed learning, knowledge retention,
increased motivation, metacognition, and self-evaluation (Finucane,
Johnson et al. 1998; Hadwin 1996; Hendry, Frommer et al. 1999;
Norman and Schmidt 1992; Ryan 2000)
Contextual factors around how PBL has been implemented can
minimise these effects
AND, development over time not known
10. Key study
Evensen et al. (2001) study of 6 medical students in a PBL
stream:
the ability to successfully regulate learning is contingent on
the learners ability to satisfactorily negotiate personal
attributes with environmental affordances and constraints to invoke
efficacious learning strategies
11. Our research questions
How do Clinical Science students regulate their learning in a
PBL year?
2. How does this change over time?
3. How effective is the PBL design in achieving high levels of
student academic regulation in third year?
12. The study
Scholarship in Teaching grant
Survey of Self-Efficacy for SRL, and SRL scale of the Motivated
Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) at beginning and end
of year
Observation of groups
Interviews at two time points
13. Survey 1
SE for SRL based on Banduras model
15 questions
7 point Likert scale (1 = cannot do 7 = can do
excellently)
E.g. How well can you evaluate your own learning needs?
E.g. How well can you admit aloud in class that you do not
understand something?
14. Survey 2
Pintrich and DeGroot (1990) SRL scale from the MSLQ
11 questions
7 point Likert scale (1 = not at all true of me 7 = extremely
true of me)
E.g. I try to change the way that I study in order to
accommodate the material covered in each area
E.g. When studying, I try to determine which concepts I dont
understand well
15. Survey results
16. Comments on survey
Lowest scoring SE for SRL question (beginning): How well can
you study when there are other more interesting things to do
Mode = 3 (Not too well)
Highest scoring SE for SRL question (beginning): How well can
you find the information you need from a textbook
Mode = 6 (Very well)
17.
Lowest scoring MSLQ question: When reading for this course I
make up questions to focus my reading
Mode = 3 (Not true of me)
Highest scoring MSLQ question: When I become confused about
something Im reading for the course I go back and try to figure it
out
Mode = 6 (Very well)
18. Interview results
Interviews coded in NVivo by two of the researchers
Overall theme:
lack of motivation across the cohort over the year as a result
of perceived lack of structure, assessment, and group dynamics
HOWEVER, levels of reflection were very high and capacity for
self-evaluation improved throughout the year
19. How do students regulate their learning? Evidence
Identify the learning objectives; SDL
put in every ounce of effort I have (Alex, int 1)
Asking for help/clarification
Deriving personal satisfaction from learning itself
Maintaining interest and motivation despite the group dynamic
(not wanting to be like them)
Self-evaluation
Setting goals
Improved use of resources
20. Self-evaluation
we had to learn, you know evaluate each other in class and that
sort of thing and yes it does force you to look at yourself and how
you do participate and that sort of thing you have to look at
yourself but you have to learn to take criticism and feedback and
that sort of thing
(Dani 1)
21. Self-evaluation
you have to explain it in a way that other people can
understand and then it makes you realise how what you really do and
dont know. Like even though Ill always know it in my head Im like
oh yes, I know that but then coming to explain it to someone else
its just different
(Toni 1)
22. SDL
I probably do a lot more research [] I engage in it off my own
back, Im not told what to do. I do a lot of my research, [] because
I want to, not because its what Im supposed to be doing or I guess
not being spoon fed the information anymore
(Terry 1)
23. Motivation
when youre presented with a case you actually, youre motivated
and you want to find out things, which makes doing the work, for me
more enjoyable, you know, less a job and more of a interest type
thing. Yes thats pretty much my main motivation, just wanting to
know the information
(Terry, 1)
24. Use of resources
Ive pretty much been using the data bases, because theres so
much focus on the research so you actually want to have their
research project and their method and all that to have the results,
whereas in the last couple of years I would mainly have used the
text books from the library, because they were just giving you the
facts and they werent giving you the actual research study that
brought about those facts
(Toni 1)
25.
I look for as many different resources as I can, so Id look at
text books, Id look at internet websites, Id look at journal
articles and things like that and then I would sift through the
information that I have and sort of analyse what seems to be
consistent across all the different resources and thats what I
would generally accept as the right answer
(Jay 1)
26. Knowledge retention
In year one and two you would just learn that tiny little bit
about this point that they wanted you to know for the exam, [] and
there was so much of that you kind of didnt really have the
capacity to learn extra, and now I think because Im not writing
hundreds of pages of notes on every thing, Ive just, I dont know,
like now, I never used to be able to retain anything from just
reading it, but now I can
(Toni 1)
27. Goals
Wanting high marks; To get into medicine
Personal growth
I have to get in to medicine, well not I have to but I mean
like want to my aspirations, my dreams (Alex 1)
I do aim to get the highest grades (Jamie 1)
Using the criticism constructively to change what I was doing
(Terry 1)
Try and contribute more in PBL, develop confidence (Toni
1)
28. Change over time
Data still to come: from observations, second interview,
portfolios to be coded
Alex as a case study so far:
I think Ive kind of learnt a better way of forcing myself or
getting in to the mood of trying to do work and its not really a
chore anymore I dont actually mind doing work, keeps me busy (Alex
1)
29. Alex
Ill just clarify everything, which is something Ive never ever,
ever done. I was always a person that was like if I need help Ill
work it out myself; I was never a person whod go ask for help
Using lecturers and tutors more than in in previous years
Change in goals more high eg. l ike first year a bad mark for
me would be a fail, now a bad mark for me is a credit. Like thats
where Ive come or even a high credit its like Im only satisfied if
I get a distinction plus
30. Q3: How effective is PBL for SRL?
Affordances and constraints for learning
The effect of group dynamic and of others on learning
However data set incomplete at this stage
31. Affordances and constraints for learning
Affordances
Small PBL group
Communicating learning verbally
Self, peer and tutor-evaluation assessment tasks
New library
Contact with staff
Content expert tutors
PBL process
Content based lectures
Authenticity of cases
Constraints
Lack of exams; motivation
Effect of others in learning; group disinterest
Lack of defined boundaries for learning
PBL cases being too straight forward and common sense
Small numbers
Having only one subject coordinator
One PBL group
Not being busy enough
Being the first cohort
32.
other people are more positive towards everything, which then
helps me to be more motivated and keep going with this year
(Jamie 1)
Working as a group
33. Authenticity of cases
we thought oh god, you know, its going to be actual real cases
and we can question the patient and that sort of thing. The things
were all busting to do, because were getting in to Medicine
soon
(Dani 1)
34. One subject coordinator
if you stuff up on one thing theyll know it, if you stuff up on
everything theyll know it. Its not like you can stuff up on one
subject and be okay, you can fail one subject the other lecturer
wont know
(Alex 1)
35.
found it hard to motivate myself to do self directed learning
because theres no like knowledge assessment in the course theres
know one telling you to go and learn this
(Tony 1)
Lack of exams
36.
because the first two years were so full on and this year isnt,
[...] we just dont feel like were busy enough I guess there was
more motivation because you had to do exams
(Dani 1)
37. The effect of others
I say okay Im going to get more involved and Im going to
research and do everything that Im supposed to do and other people
are not, so it makes me feel, well maybe I shouldnt be showing off
and I shouldnt be talking so much in class because know no one else
is really being involved themselves
(Jay 1)
38. Constraint - others
you just let other people affect you for a while and then you
just have to like, it might take a little while and then you
realise like why am I letting the affect me so much?
(Toni 1)
39. Equal contribution
if people have actually researched something for the class,
like its those classes that always run so much better than the
other ones because its the ones where know ones done any prior work
that they just feel pointless and we go off track
(Toni 1)
40.
Social processes Individual;
Interdependence of social and individual processes in any
learning environment, but especially in PBL
What do the results show overall?
41. Improvements needed
I think may be there could have been more, more material to
sort of engage us and keep us occupied, not occupied, sort of
stimulated through out the week. (Chris 1)
Changing the focus of it [] playing a role that would be
similar to the ones we hope to endeavour to be. Because you (Dani
1)
42. Strategies to improve
More assessment
Have more than one group
43. Response to research questions
How do Clinical Science students regulate their learning in a
PBL year?
2. How does this change over time?
3. How effective is the PBL design in achieving high levels of
student academic regulation in third year?
44. Implications for practice
May need to embed/facilitate SRL earlier in the course, prior
to PBL
Support strategies for students in the PBL year mentors?
Early intervention
45. References
Evensen et al (2001)
Finucane, Johnson et al. 1998; Hadwin 1996; Hendry, Frommer et
al. 1999; Norman and Schmidt 1992; Ryan 2000)
Pintrich, R. R., & DeGroot, E. V. (1990). Motivational and
self-regulated learning components of classroom academic
performance , Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33-40
Zimmerman, B. J. (1989a). "A social cognitive view of
self-regulated academic learning." Journal of Educational
Psychology 81(3): 329-339