EVALUATING FULLY AND PARTIALLY ONLINE PROBLEM-ASED LEARNING IN LARGE BIOCHEMISTRY CLASSES: TUDENT ACCEPTANCE AND LEARNING OUTCOMES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Main Article Content
Keywords
Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Online Education, Large Classroom, Biochemistry Teaching, Student Acceptability
Abstract
Sunieri and his team found that conventional problem-based learning (PBL) requires substantial resources since learning is guided in small groups. It is not well known what the advantages are of using PBL in a large lecture class. The study included a PBL case in a large biochemistry class delivered in a traditional lecture format and investigated whether students would accept a totally online or hybrid online PBL course. The students were put into three groups: those learning completely online in Group 1, those learning some online in Group 2 and those learning some online with lower grades in Group 3. Eight closed-ended questions and two open-ended questions, plus the results of a final exam, were used to evaluate whether students accepted fully online or hybrid Project-Based Learning in a large class. Using Kruskal–Wallis and chi- square tests, the closed-ended responses were interpreted. Data from open-ended responses was analyzed by making a word cloud using Wenjuanxing. Using one-way ANOVA, the final scores from each cohort were analyzed. All students rated both fully online and hybrid PBL highly. There were no meaningful differences in how effective PBL was perceived by Group 2 and Group 3. Final exam scores were not much different for Group 1 than Group 2. However, those in Group 1 said they liked PBL much more than those in Groups 2 and 3. When the open-ended questions were analyzed with a word cloud, the main feeling from the students was that they liked PBL. When students are involved, two well-chosen PBL cases seem to be the best way to learn biochemistry. Both online and combination PBL options in large classrooms were generally supported to go well with standard biochemistry lectures.
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Dr C Padmaja
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Prathima Relief Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagunur, Karimnagar- 505417, India
Damodharan Jothieswari
Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Prathima Relief Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagunur, Karimnagar- 505417, India