Effect of Digital Problem-Based Learning Cases on Student Learning Outcomes in Ophthalmology Courses

Abstract

To assess the impact of digital problembased learning (PBL) cases on student learning in ophthalmology courses.Methods: Ninety students were randomly divided into 3 classes (30 students per class). The first class studied under a didactic model. The other 2 classes were divided into 6 groups (10 students per group) and received PBL teaching; 3 groups studied via cases presented in digital form and the others studied via paper-form cases. The results of theoretical and case analysis examinations were analyzed using the 2 test. Student performance on the interval practice was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Questionnaires were used to evaluate student and facilitator perceptions.Results: Students in the digital groups exhibited better performance in the practice procedures according to tutorial evaluations compared with the other groups (PϽ.05). The 2 PBL classes had significantly higher mean results of theoretical and case analysis examinations (PϽ.001), but there was no significant difference between the 2 PBL classes. Ninety-three percent of students in the digital groups (vs 73% in the paper groups) noted that the cases greatly stimulated their interest.Conclusions: Introducing PBL into ophthalmology could improve educational quality and effectiveness. Digital PBL cases stimulate interest and motivate students to further improve diagnosis and problem-handling skills.

Evaluation of e-Problem-Based Learning (e-PBL) Sessions in the Faculty of Medicine during the Pandemic Period

“…In their meta-analysis study, Car et al stated that digital PBL is as effective as traditional PBL and even more effective in improving knowledge 7 . Again, similar to our study; In a study conducted on students in ophthalmology internships in China, they found that e-PBL aroused more interest in students and was more effective in improving their problem-solving skills 10 . In the study of Rahman et al in which they evaluated the perspectives of students and EG on e-PBL sessions, they obtained results very similar to those in our study, and the majority evaluated them as productive 11 .…”

Evaluation of e-Problem-Based Learning (e-PBL) Sessions in the Faculty of Medicine during the Pandemic Period

“…In their meta-analysis study, Car et al stated that digital PBL is as effective as traditional PBL and even more effective in improving knowledge 7 . Again, similar to our study; In a study conducted on students in ophthalmology internships in China, they found that e-PBL aroused more interest in students and was more effective in improving their problem-solving skills 10 . In the study of Rahman et al in which they evaluated the perspectives of students and EG on e-PBL sessions, they obtained results very similar to those in our study, and the majority evaluated them as productive 11 .…”

Digital Problem-Based Learning in Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

“…We also performed subgroup analysis based on the degree to which the digital technology was employed as part of PBL. We differentiated among studies in which digital technology was used for presentation of problems [21,22,31,42], the first part of the PBL was distance based [43], and PBL was fully distance based [39,40]. We found a statistically significant difference among these subgroups.…”

“…All studies were RCTs and published in English. Seven studies were conducted in high-income countries and two studies, in middle-income countries [21,31]. Five studies had two arms, one study had three arms, and three studies had four arms.…”

“…Five studies had two arms, one study had three arms, and three studies had four arms. Four studies exclusively compared DPBL to traditional PBL, one study exclusively compared DPBL to traditional learning, and two studies compared DPBL to both traditional PBL and traditional learning [21,31]. None of the included studies compared different forms of DPBL.…”

“…The fields of study varied across the included studies. The studies focused on pregnancy-associated urinary incontinence [39], biochemistry (acid-based physiology) [40], genetics [41], internal medicine [42], ophthalmology [21], dermatology [31], multidisciplinary [43], human physiology [22], and traumatic head injury [44].…”

Evaluation of e-Problem-Based Learning (e-PBL) Sessions in the Faculty of Medicine during the Pandemic Period

“…In their meta-analysis study, Car et al stated that digital PBL is as effective as traditional PBL and even more effective in improving knowledge 7 . Again, similar to our study; In a study conducted on students in ophthalmology internships in China, they found that e-PBL aroused more interest in students and was more effective in improving their problem-solving skills 10 . In the study of Rahman et al in which they evaluated the perspectives of students and EG on e-PBL sessions, they obtained results very similar to those in our study, and the majority evaluated them as productive 11 .…”

Digital Problem-Based Learning in Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

“…We also performed subgroup analysis based on the degree to which the digital technology was employed as part of PBL. We differentiated among studies in which digital technology was used for presentation of problems [21,22,31,42], the first part of the PBL was distance based [43], and PBL was fully distance based [39,40]. We found a statistically significant difference among these subgroups.…”

“…All studies were RCTs and published in English. Seven studies were conducted in high-income countries and two studies, in middle-income countries [21,31]. Five studies had two arms, one study had three arms, and three studies had four arms.…”

“…Five studies had two arms, one study had three arms, and three studies had four arms. Four studies exclusively compared DPBL to traditional PBL, one study exclusively compared DPBL to traditional learning, and two studies compared DPBL to both traditional PBL and traditional learning [21,31]. None of the included studies compared different forms of DPBL.…”

“…The fields of study varied across the included studies. The studies focused on pregnancy-associated urinary incontinence [39], biochemistry (acid-based physiology) [40], genetics [41], internal medicine [42], ophthalmology [21], dermatology [31], multidisciplinary [43], human physiology [22], and traumatic head injury [44].…”

Evaluation of e-Problem-Based Learning (e-PBL) Sessions in the Faculty of Medicine during the Pandemic Period

“…In their meta-analysis study, Car et al stated that digital PBL is as effective as traditional PBL and even more effective in improving knowledge 7 . Again, similar to our study; In a study conducted on students in ophthalmology internships in China, they found that e-PBL aroused more interest in students and was more effective in improving their problem-solving skills 10 . In the study of Rahman et al in which they evaluated the perspectives of students and EG on e-PBL sessions, they obtained results very similar to those in our study, and the majority evaluated them as productive 11 .…”

Digital Problem-Based Learning in Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis by the Digital Health Education Collaboration

“…We also performed subgroup analysis based on the degree to which the digital technology was employed as part of PBL. We differentiated among studies in which digital technology was used for presentation of problems [21,22,31,42], the first part of the PBL was distance based [43], and PBL was fully distance based [39,40]. We found a statistically significant difference among these subgroups.…”

“…All studies were RCTs and published in English. Seven studies were conducted in high-income countries and two studies, in middle-income countries [21,31]. Five studies had two arms, one study had three arms, and three studies had four arms.…”

“…Five studies had two arms, one study had three arms, and three studies had four arms. Four studies exclusively compared DPBL to traditional PBL, one study exclusively compared DPBL to traditional learning, and two studies compared DPBL to both traditional PBL and traditional learning [21,31]. None of the included studies compared different forms of DPBL.…”

“…The fields of study varied across the included studies. The studies focused on pregnancy-associated urinary incontinence [39], biochemistry (acid-based physiology) [40], genetics [41], internal medicine [42], ophthalmology [21], dermatology [31], multidisciplinary [43], human physiology [22], and traumatic head injury [44].…”