Introducing a Problem Analysis Tool Implies Increasement in Understanding Problem Analysis Among Students: a PBL Case

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) is the through-going didactics at Aalborg University, but literature shows how integrating PBL into project work is challenging for students. Studies indicate that students especially struggle with the problem analysis section, i.e., what it consists of, how the structure of the analysis should be, etc. Moreover, literature shows that ignorance among students leads to conflicts among group members. The aim of the study was to evaluate the consequences of introducing a problem analysis tool to master students working with a PBL project. Data analysis showed an increase (with significant p values) in the following 5 topics: 1) the problem analysis term, 2) problem analysis structure, 3) scientific argumentation, 4) learn to analyze instead of explaining, and 5) using literature to argue for a scientific problem. Significant results showed that students believed that they had increased their understanding of the term problem analysis after being introduced to the problem analysis tool.