An Extended Abstract Albert Saah KNUST, Kumasi--Ghana Impact Analysis of PBL-EL Approach on Social Work Students’ Academic Performance in KNUST, Kumasi

Introduction

Background to the study There is some assertion that problem-based learning with the learner centred pedagogical approach does not improve teaching, learning and student academic performance at all levels of education especially higher Education. And that there exists no significant difference in the traditional and PBL approaches in enhancing academic performance. It was necessary to find out the impact of ToT team member practices was enhancing student academic performance

There exists no study that demonstrated the impact of integrated leaner centred PBL-EL on student academic performance in SW undergraduate courses Therefore study sought to explore the extent to which these approaches do improve learning if any in Social Work undergraduate courses offered at the Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

Method

Design of the study Action researchSampling & Sample size Mixed approach Exploratory Not conclusive No ‘generalizability’ Population social work students/KNUST CourseDateClass size SOWK 125 social welfare institutions (core course) SOWK 157 introduction to social welfare institutions (core course) SOWK 477 Social Work & Technology (elective course) SOWK 369 International social Work (elective course)

Data collectionData analysis Test Scores in three (3) undergraduate Social Work courses 2013 & 2015 Before During After Treatment of lesson structure & delivery traditional approach PBL EL/T approach Impact analysis Descriptive statistics Minimum score Maximum score Mean score Standard Deviation

Results & Discussion

Perception of students TimingStudents perceptionStudent preferences BeforeTold what we need to know Memorize it Assigned problem to illustrate how to use it told what we need to know memorize it problem assigned to illustrate how to use it DuringProblem assigned Identify what we need to know Learning and apply it to solve the problem find what to know from the course description &our needs/interest prepare own study guide solve problems given to illustrate the need AfterN/Astudents’ preference of pedagogy problem assigned identify what we need to know learn and apply it to solve the problem (Source: Filed data, 2015)

Results from data courses Class size BeforeDuringAfter Max Min Mean S.D Max Min Mean S.D Max Min Mean S.D SOWK SOWK SOWK (Source: Filed data, 2015)

Performances overall Compared SOWK 157 (PBL) and SOWK 152 (Traditional) SOWK 157 Class size Max.Min.MeanS.D SOWK (Source: Filed data, 2015)

Conclusion Performance was higher for After, than before and during in the 1 st year course SOWK 157 and 2 nd year course SOWK 369. this was not so for the final 4 th year course SOWK 477. Comparing the traditional approach and the PBL approach: SOWK 157 (by PBL-EL) 19.40, and SOWK 152 (Traditional) had 8.15 Researchers concluded that learner centred Problem based approaches did enhance learning and academic performance in undergraduate Social Work courses

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