Problem-based learning implementation in a health sciences blended-learning program in Argentina

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has been implemented as a teaching methodology in which contextualized problems are presented to students so that, by working in small groups, they can explore possible solutions. “PBL is an instructional (and curricular) learner-centered approach that empowers learners to conduct research, integrate theory and practice and apply knowledge and skills to develop a viable solution to a defined problem”.1 Barrows and Tamblyn2 defined PBL as a “very specific approach to education in medicine, supported by tools designed to facilitate a specific teachinglearning process”. Wood3 explains that PBL has many advantages for the students because “it fosters active learning, improved understanding, and retention and development of lifelong learning skills.” Deep learning is nurtured through PBL as “students interact with learning materials, relate concepts to everyday activities, and improve their understanding.” However, from the tutors’ point of view, PBL can sometimes be frustrating and hard to manage since their role is not to teach but to facilitate knowledge and understanding. “Critical to the success of the approach is the selection of ill-structured problems... and a tutor who guides the learning process and conducts a thorough debriefing at the conclusion of the learning experience”.1 Based on the tenets of this approach, students get in groups to provide a solution to a given situation that represents a challenge to activate new knowledge. A tutor guides the students, and each group is asked to take responsibility for their learning, identifying what they already know, as well as when and where they should find the information they need to solve the problem. There have been many experiences describing the implementation of PBL in different educational settings in the field of medicine.4-6 These experiences were first carried out in face-to-face, traditional classrooms. With the advent of technology, distance learning education – and blended-learning in particular gained force and PBL started to be implemented in such modalities. “Blended-learning, defined as the combination of traditional face-to-face learning and asynchronous or synchronous elearning”7 which is put into practice using Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) such as online platforms or university campuses, brought about an entire set of new projects in many educational fields as well as in medicine. Programmes combining the strategies of PBL in blended-learning contexts were developed, and new ways of implementing PBL emerged with experiences which included online discussion forums,8 VLE,9,10 and simulation tools.11 These practices have been successful and have had positive results regarding training students in the Health Sciences.7,8,10 For example, Romero Gomez and Muñoz10 evaluated the impact of VLE instruction in the acquisition and construction of new knowledge in a Nursing School in Colombia. The researchers compared the performance of students using PBL techniques in face-to-face classrooms with the performance of students in VLE. Blended-learning modality students using PBL strategies have shown to perform better compared to those taking the same course in a traditional, face-to-face classroom. Overall, PBL and blended-learning have grown as a promising scheme for the implementation of other projects in the training of Health Sciences students. The case that follows is an example of a course designed for the School of Medicine of a Health Science University Center in Argentina. Thus, the purpose of this article is to describe the experience of implementing such course combining PBL and blendedlearning.