Roles of students and tutors during the PBL process Anne Baroffio, PhD Mathieu Nendaz, MD, MHPE University of Geneva – Faculty of Medicine

2 Step 1: Clarify unknown terms in the problem  Students  Identify important problem features  Clarify unknown terms (dictionary)  Tutor  Verify understanding

3 Step 2: Define the problem  Students  Summarize the problem  List questions to be answered  Tutor  Help formulate questions

4 Step 3: Analyze the problem  Students  Utilize previous knowledge  Brainstorm : hypothesize underlying mechanisms  Tutor  Guide the process  Encourage deeper knowledge  Focus the discussions  Watch the timing

5 Step 4: Discuss and organize your explanations  Students  Prioritize, link, group possible explanations  Synthesize (diagrams)  Tutor  Help structure the explanations  Foster concept linking

6 Step 5: Formulate learning objectives  Students  Utilize questions arisen during problem analysis to define learning objectives  Tutor  Help refine learning objectives

7 Step 6: Self-directed learning  Students  Utilize proposed resources (textbooks, papers, websites, lectures…) to find explanations to the problem  Accomplish learning objectives

8 Step 7: Share and apply new knowledge to explain the problem  Students  Share acquired knowledge  Explain mechanisms underlying the problem  Verify understanding of the mechanisms  Summarize the case with a diagram  Tutor  Make sure that learning objectives are achieved  Verify depth of knowledge  Help identify missing or wrong concepts

9 Step 8: Evaluate the group learning and process  Students  Evaluate personal learning  Evaluate personal and group functioning  Tutor  Provide feedback on students’ learning  Provide feedback on group functioning

One fundamental role of the Tutor : Providing feedback and assessment

Feed-back According to students… they have never enough feedback

12 Why give feed-back  One single reason: to give a chance to students to improve  Feedback  assessment or evaluation  Feedback must be specific  It was great…! This was not good…!  Feed-back must be prescriptive  Here is what you can do to improve…

FEED-BACK TO THE GROUP TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LEARNING PROCESS GROUP FUNCTIONING

14 Giving feed-back during the tutorial: WHEN?  Spontaneous: oGood question, good intervention… oGoal: support and encourage students oDo not penalize incorrect hypotheses  Group learning and process evaluation oWhat did you learn? oWhat misconceptions could we correct? oHow did the group work? oMake the students speak first!

Tutor assessment of the student Formal assessment sheet used in GE

Scale Beyond expectations At expectations To improveNo opinion

Items A: Learning behavior Identification and synthesis of relevant issues Curiosity Adequate search of help if needed Structured and clear expression

Items B: Ability to self-assessment Open to critics Personal initiatives to correct self- insufficiency

Items C: Attitudes toward others Pertinent interventions Tactful expression in case of disagreement Listening capacity Avoidance of value judgement on others

Items D: Global appreciation Strengths Weaknesses Open comments

22 Notice!  Knowledge not summatively assessed during tutorials in Geneva

23 In summary: Tutor roles 1.PBL process  Guides the PBL process  Focuses the discussion  Coaches the student group leader  Is committed to students’ progress

24 In summary: Tutor roles 2. Cognitive  Guides students’ learning  Encourages deep knowledge  Promotes critical thinking  Fosters concept integration  Helps identify missing or wrong concepts  Verifies students’ understanding and learning (Tutorial 2)  Provides feedback on learning (group and student)

25 In summary: Tutor roles 3. Group dynamics  Encourages each student’s participation  Regulates students’ contribution (shy vs verbose….)  Provides feedback on group functioning (individual and group)