Problem-based learning: perception, suitability and implementation in a Swedish academic environment.

Abstract

Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been gaining attention during the last decades as an efficient method for teaching. Despite of the fact that PBL gained ground in front of more traditional Lecturing Based Learning (LBL), the number of PBL courses at Lund University are very limited. In this work we investigated a statistically representative sample of docents at LTH in order to assess the positive and negative tendencies towards the development of PBL courses at Lund University. However a broad study is needed to include more academic disciplines other than engineering to draw general tendencies for Lund
University. The results for LTH suggest that almost the majority of the subjects that reply our questionnaire have and value the positive aspects necessary to implement PBL. We suggest that the lack of PBL courses at Lund University could be more related with the lack of familiarity with the methodology and that an hybrid approach could help some skeptics to assess the suitability of the PBL option for courses at Lund University. More information on the PBL given to the teacher community at LU could help to promote the methodology.