Although increasingly used as a modality in medical education, ProblemBased Learning (PBL) remains somewhat overlooked in the training of public health students (Pham & Blumberg, 2000). This project involved a pilot test of a web-based community simulation as a PBL platform in an undergraduate health behavior course. Purpose: To develop and pilot test a web-based computer simulation as an implementation of problem-based learning in an undergraduate public health behavior course. Method: Using a web-based simulation platform, a virtual community was designed in which the effects of a mock infectious disease outbreak could be studied and various interventions could be tested. Upon completion of the semester course, 14 undergraduate public health education students completed a survey and participated in a focus group to determine issues related to the simulation. Research focused on whether the simulation was perceived as motivating and which aspects were found to be confusing, ineffective or unrealistic. Findings: Results of the study suggested that a PBL experience based on a community simulation may be effective in providing a motivating and interesting PBL tool for instructing undergraduate public health students. A majority of students agreed that the experience was more motivating and interesting than a more traditional assignment. Design recommendations include an emphasis on incorporating a rich multimedia background, realistic communication and project management tools and the capability for students to submit formatted documents. Further study of attitudinal differences and attainment of learning objectives is recommended between students participating in the simulation experience and those engaging in a traditional assignment.
SYNOPSISObjectives. This study investigated the use of a Web-based community health simulation as a problem-based learning (PBL) experience for undergraduate students majoring in public health. The study sought to determine whether students who participated in the online simulation achieved differences in academic and attitudinal outcomes compared with students who participated in a traditional PBL exercise.Methods. Using a nonexperimental comparative design, 21 undergraduate students enrolled in a health-behavior course were each randomly assigned to one of four workgroups. Each workgroup was randomly assigned the semesterlong simulation project or the traditional PBL exercise. Survey instruments were used to measure students' attitudes toward the course, their perceptions of the learning community, and perceptions of their own cognitive learning. Content analysis of final essay exams and group reports was used to identify differences in academic outcomes and students' level of conceptual understanding of health-behavior theory.Results. Findings indicated that students participating in the simulation produced higher mean final exam scores compared with students participating in the traditional PBL (p50.03). Students in the simulation group also outperformed students in the traditional group with respect to their understanding of health-behavior theory (p50.04). Students in the simulation group, however, rated their own level of cognitive learning lower than did students in the traditional group (p50.03).Conclusions. By bridging time and distance constraints of the traditional classroom setting, an online simulation may be an effective PBL approach for public health students. Recommendations include further research using a larger sample to explore students' perceptions of learning when participating in simulated real-world activities. Additional research focusing on possible differences between actual and perceived learning relative to PBL methods and student workgroup dynamics is also recommended.
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