An Experience Applying Hybrid PBL Course for Undergraduate Thai Students

1
An Experience Applying Hybrid PBL Course for
Undergraduate Thai Students

• Surasi Vadhanavikit
• School of Allied Health Sciences and Public
  Health, Walailak University Nakhon Si Thammarat,
  Thailand 80160
• vsurasi_at_wu.ac.th

2
Background

• The undergraduate Environmental Health programme
  at Walailak University has launched a PBL project
  by which some of the courses have been redesigned
  from the traditional lecture-based to PBL-based
  teaching and learning approaches.
• The course Food Sanitation was selected as one
  of the courses to be redesigned into PBL.
• The redesigned course is a hybrid PBL with 60
  PBL and 40 lecture.

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HYBRID....... an offspring of two animals or
plants of different races, breeds, varieties,
species, or genera a person whose background is
a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions
something heterogeneous in origin or
composition Websters Collegiate Dictionary

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Objectives

• To evaluate junior- level Environmental Health
  students at Walailak University for their
  performance and achievement in a hybrid PBL
  course Food Sanitation
• To assess students attitude towards this
  teaching and learning approach.

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The Course

• Food Sanitation is a 4-credit course (12
  weeks). Each week has 2 contact hours and 12-15
  hours lab works/excursions
• Theme 1 Week 1-3 PBL labs/excursion
• Theme 2 Week 4-6 lecture labs
• Theme 3 Week 7-9 PBL labs/excursion
• Theme 4 Week 10 lecture labs
• Theme 5 Week 11-12 PBL excursion

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Course Evaluation

• PBL assessment (selfpeer and facilitator) 30
• Examinations (midterm and final) 40
• Lab work Reports 20
• Case presentations 10
• Total 100

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Grading of the course

• Fixed-rate grading system (A F 4.0 0)
• A gt 80
• B 75 79.9
• B 70 74.9
• C 65 69.9
• C 60 64.9
• D 55 59.9
• D 50 54.9
• F lt 50

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The Students

• Third year students, 13 women and 1 man
• Average GPAX 2.4 0.2 (1.96 2.82)
• All have attended a 4 credit, 24 lecture hours
  full PBL course in the previous trimester.

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Results

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Scores obtained by students
30 pt
40 pt
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PBL score (self peer evaluation 15 and
student evaluation by facilitator 15)
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Comparison between self peer evaluation and
facilitators evaluation of students
12.41 0.54
Scores
11.21 1.08
Self Peer
Facilitator
Compare mean (p value 0.001)
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• Pearson correlation (Self peer Facilitator)
  0.476
• P value 0.085 (non-significant
  correlation)

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PBL Scores and Scores from Examinations
Scores
Exam score
PBL process score (Facilitator Peer Self)
Students
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• Pearson correlation (Facilitator Self peer
  Exam) 0.280
• P value 0.333 (non-significant correlation)

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Students attitude

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Students evaluation at the final week of the
course

• Comparison between this hybrid PBL course and the
  previous PBL course
• better full PBL
  about the same better hybrid PBL
• Preference 0 (0) 2 (14.3)
  12 (85.7)
• Learning achievement 1 (7.1) 1
  (7.1) 12 (85.7)
• Comparison between this hybrid PBL course and
  conventional lecture course
• better lecture only about the same
  better hybrid PBL
• Preference 3 (21.4) 1 (7.1)
  10 (71.4)
• Learning achievement 1 (7.1)
  4 (28.6) 9 (64.3)

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Student GPAX Grade of
the course S1 2.82 B (3.5) S2 1.96 B
(3.0) S3 2.39 B (3.0) S4 2.63 B
(3.0) S5 2.33 B (3.0) S6 2.24 B
(3.5) S7 2.24 C (2.5) S8 2.2 B
(3.0) S9 2.57 A (4.0) S10 2.35 C
(2.5) S11 2.74 A (4.0) S12 2.5 B (3.0)
S13 2.53 B (3.0) S14 2.27 B (3.0)

3.1 0.5
2.4 0.2
Mean SD
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Some Reflections by Students

• I like this course, rather relaxing and I have
  learnt a lot
• I prefer this kind of learning approach because
  it makes me understand the whole picture of the
  course better.
• still too much work and I am afraid that we
  might have missed something important
• I would like to see that this course is offered
  to more students..
• I like this course much more than the full PBL
  course we took last semester.

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What the facilitator could see as improvements

• Search for Information
• Self directed learning
• Opinion expression
• Presentation skills
• Teamwork skills

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Conclusions Suggestions

• 1. This preliminary study indicates that hybrid
  PBL can be applied with positive outcomes.
• 2. A hybrid PBL may be suitable for students who
  have no experience to get start with PBL.

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HYBRID CAN BE BEAUTIFUL !!!