Faculty development activities appear highly valued by participants, who also report changes in learning and behavior. Notwithstanding the methodological limitations in the literature, certain program characteristics appear to be consistently associated with effectiveness. Further research to explore these associations and document outcomes, at the individual and organizational level, is required.

It is argued that problems encountered in educational practice usually stem from poor implementation of PBL. In many cases the way in which PBL is implemented is not consistent with the current insights on learning. Furthermore, it is argued that research on PBL should contribute towards a better understanding of why and how the concepts of constructive, self-directed, collaborative and contextual learning work or do not work and under what circumstances. Examples of studies are given to illustrate this issue.

This review holds implications for practice and research. Moving forward, we should build on current success, broaden the focus beyond individual teaching effectiveness, develop programs that extend over time, promote workplace learning, foster community development, and secure institutional support. We should also embed studies in a theoretical framework, conduct more qualitative and mixed methods studies, assess behavioral and organizational change, evaluate transfer to practice, analyse key features, and explore the role of faculty development within the larger organizational context.

In problem-based learning (PBL), implemented worldwide, students learn by discussing professionally relevant problems enhancing application and integration of knowledge, which is assumed to encourage students towards a deep learning approach in which students are intrinsically interested and try to understand what is being studied. This review investigates: (1) the effects of PBL on students’ deep and surface approaches to learning, (2) whether and why these effects do differ across (a) the context of the learning environment (single vs. curriculum wide implementation), and (b) study quality. Studies were searched dealing with PBL and students’ approaches to learning. Twenty-one studies were included. The results indicate that PBL does enhance deep learning with a small positive average effect size of .11 and a positive effect in eleven of the 21 studies. Four studies show a decrease in deep learning and six studies show no effect. PBL does not seem to have an effect on surface learning as indicated by a very small average effect size (.08) and eleven studies showing no increase in the surface approach. Six studies demonstrate a decrease and four an increase in surface learning. It is concluded that PBL does seem to enhance deep learning and has little effect on surface learning, although more longitudinal research using high quality measurement instruments is needed to support this conclusion with stronger evidence. Differences cannot be explained by the study quality but a curriculum wide implementation of PBL has a more positive impact on the deep approach (effect size .18) compared to an implementation within a single course (effect size of −.05). PBL is assumed to enhance active learning and students’ intrinsic motivation, which enhances deep learning. A high perceived workload and assessment that is perceived as not rewarding deep learning are assumed to enhance surface learning.

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Students collaborating in small groups is a characteristic of problem-based learning (PBL) that is receiving increased consideration in the literature. In this paper findings from studies in this area are synthesized and discussed. A distinction is made between studies focusing on cognitive effects of group learning and studies focusing on motivational effects of group learning. Studies concentrating on the cognitive effects of small-group PBL seem to demonstrate that activation of prior knowledge, recall of information, causal reasoning or theory building, cognitive conflicts leading to conceptual change and collaborative learning construction take place in the tutorial group. Studies focusing on the motivational effects of PBL demonstrate that group discussion positively influences students' intrinsic interest in the subject matter under discussion. The studies also demonstrate that a haphazard discussion in the tutorial group or a discussion that just scratches the surface, probably caused by students being less motivated, inhibits student learning. Several studies are reported providing suggestions on how to optimize group work in PBL. Although the studies demonstrate that group learning in PBL may have positive effects, much more research is needed to obtain more evidence and deeper insight in the cognitive and emotional effects of small group learning in PBL.

Medical education research has grown enormously over the past 20 years, but it does not sufficiently make use of theories, according to influential leaders and researchers in this field. In this AMEE Guide, it is argued that design-based research (DBR) studies should be conducted much more in medical education design research because these studies both advance the testing and refinement of theories and advance educational practice. In this Guide, the essential characteristics of DBR as well as how DBR differs from other approach such as formative evaluation are explained. It is also explained what the pitfalls and challenges of DBR are. The main challenges deal with how to insure that DBR studies reveal findings that are of a broader relevance than the local situation and how to insure that DBR contributes toward theory testing and refinement. An example of a series of DBR studies on the design of a teaching portfolio in higher education that is aimed at stimulating a teacher's professional development is described, to illustrate how DBR studies actually work in practice. Finally, it is argued that DBR-studies could play an important role in the advancement of theory and practice in the two broad domains of designing or redesigning work-based learning environments and assessment programs.