Problem-Based Learning: application of theory to practice

in Mental Health Nurse Education

Catharine Jenkins

Carole Germaine

Three perspectives… Problem-Based Learning as...

• A process of enquiry • Learning to learn • A cognitive constructionist approach, in which

students construct mental models of the world (Schmidt, Rotgand and Yew 2011)

What is Problem-Based Learning? PBL is a student-centred approach to learning involving a ‘group-based complex problem-solving tutorial’ (Prosser and Sze 2014)

Students

• are exposed to ‘trigger learning materials’ based on relevant problems

• work in small groups to identify and explore the issues, building on previous knowledge

• note gaps in their individual knowledge and skills

• share the learning work/research required to address the problems

• use the learning together to devise solutions

• feed back to the group and apply the knowledge

Tutors act as facilitators

What makes PBL effective? • Enthusiastic subject specialists (Cooper and Carver 2012) • ‘flexible scaffolding’ from ‘socially congruent’ facilitators (Schmidt, Rotgand and Yew 2011) • Not just collaborative working – individual knowledge acquisition needed too • ‘activation-elaboration’ students are driven to address gaps in their knowledge • ‘situational interest’ students are motivated to solve an intriguing puzzle • Small group discussions facilitate understanding and sustain it long-term (Schmidt et al 2011) • Having a good problem • Friendships and peer-pressure

PBL Benefits: Academic Skills • Bridges the theory-practice gap (D’Sa and Bhaduri 2013) • Improves long term retention of content and short-term retention involving elaboration of new information (Prosser and Sze 2014) • Improves clinical skills and reasoning (Prosser and Sze 2014) • Helps students to work autonomously, feel competent and related to others, be intrinsically motivated and self-regulating (Dolmans and Gijbels 2013, D’Sa and Bhaduri 2013 ) • Leads to ‘deeper learning’ (Dolmans and Gijbels 2013) • Students develop life-long learning skills (Prosser and Sze 2014)

PBL scenarios link to four domains in the NMC

• 1. Professional values

• 2.Communication and interpersonal skills

• 3.Nursing practice and decision making

• 4. Leadership, management and team working

PBL Benefits: Emotional Intelligence

• Helps students to work autonomously, feel competent and related to others, be intrinsically motivated and self-regulating (Dolmans and Gijbels 2013, D’Sa and Bhaduri 2013 ) • Develops team working, professional respect, communication and interpersonal skills (Cooper and Carver 2012, MacVane Phipps et al 2015) • Engages emotions, facilitates holistic understanding and compassionate values (MacVane Phipps et al 2015) •Develops ‘situational awareness’ and assertiveness – essential for safe care (MacVane Phipps et al 2015) • Positive experiences for students (Cooper and Carver 2012, D’Sa and Bhaduri 2013) • Leads to ‘deeper learning’ (Dolmans and Gijbels 2013)

Combining Simulation, ‘Serious Games’ and PBL in the classroom Our examples: • Responding to ‘indications of distress’ in people living with dementia (serious game + PBL) • Applying the Mental Capacity Act (2005) when working with people with MH problems who need to make decisions (serious game + PBL+ simulation) • Complex care decision-making and dilemmas • Employability (Simulation and PBL combined evaluated positively by students Roh Kim & Kim 2013)

Working together: Do you have topics which would benefit from a PBL approach?

1. Identify a learning need and desired outcome 2. Generate student motivation – consequence of gap in

knowledge + an interesting problem 3. Design a ‘trigger’ 4. Provide a ‘soft scaffold’ 5. Anticipate facilitation approach

References Cooper, C. and Carver, N. (2012). Problem based learning in mental health nursing: The students' experience. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 21(2) 175-183. Dolmans, D. and Gijbels, D. (2013). Research on problem-based learning: future challenges. Medical Education, 47(2),214-218. D'Sa, J. and Bhaduri, A. (2013). Acceptability of a Problem-Based Learning Approach in a Baccalaureate Nursing Programme- A Pilot Study. International Journal of Nursing Education, 5(1), 92. Phipps, F., Whitney, E., Meddings, F. and Evans, M. (2015). Embedding the 6 Cs: Problem-based learning the Bradford way. British Journal of Midwifery, 23(5), pp.330-335. Prosser, M. and Sze, D. (2014). Problem-based learning: Student learning experiences and outcomes. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 28(1-2), 131-142. Roh, Y., Kim, S. and Kim, S. (2013). Effects of an integrated problem-based learning and simulation course for nursing students. Nursing & Health Sciences, 16(1), pp.91-96. Schmidt, H., Rotgans, J. and Yew, E. (2011). The process of problem-based learning: what works and why. Medical Education, 45(8),792-806. Strobel, J. and van Barneveld, A. (2009) When is PBL more effective? A meta-synthesis of meta-analyses comparing PBL to conventional classrooms. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem Based Learning (3)44–58.