<p>Student Perception of Microbiology Laboratory Skills Learning Through a Problem-Based Learning Curriculum: Arabian Gulf University Experience</p>

Abstract

Introduction The curriculum at medical school at Arabian Gulf University is centered on small group learning and real-life problems provided to students and guiding students to learn actively. In microbiology, laboratory skills are taught in an innovative manner using mini cases and different lab sessions and are integrated with other basic sciences. This article describes the format and pattern of laboratory skills sessions conducted using PBL methods at Arabian Gulf University and discusses the perception of students towards PBL in laboratory skill learning and way forward for the same. Methods The study sample size was 110. The students’ perception of the laboratory skills teaching methods was assessed through an exit survey at the end of each session. A semi-structured self-administered survey instrument was prepared, and the questions were arranged in two sessions and focused on identifying the relevance, timing, strengths, and weaknesses of the teaching method and recommendations to improve the same. Results We observed that more than 50% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that the time given for PBL was adequate, topics discussed were relevant, presentations were clear, pre-session briefing and Case-Based Studies (team-based learning (TBL)) helped in their learning. The participants identified the demonstration of experiments and hands-on experience provided in the laboratory were most helpful. When enquired about the difficulty, among 48% of the participants, 80% observed that the slides used in the learning/teaching were lengthy. Conclusion The use of PBL in a lab setting promotes active learning. In the heart of PBL, TBL is a powerful tool in the educational process offering the students deep comprehension and allowing them to gain practical and intellectual skills.

Students’ and Teachers’ Perception and Practice towards Laboratory Work in Chemistry Teaching-Learning: Evidence from Secondary Schools in North Wollo Zone, Ethiopia

“…is narrows the opportunity and freedom that should be afforded to students in trying out their inquiry techniques, where they make errors, learn from those errors, and make learning more interesting and permanent [6]. Students are guided and trained to think critically about a problem with team members and arrive at reliable solutions [1]; if students are allowed to manipulate equipment and materials as a result, they will learn more. He also claimed that in order for laboratory activities to be meaningful, students must be given the opportunity to reflect on findings, clarify understanding and misunderstanding with peers, and use available resources.…”

“…According to existing literature, one of the inputs for a high-quality education is the use of laboratory activities [1], which are common elements of scientific instruction at all levels of education. Nowadays, there is a global change in teaching and learning methods.…”

A comparison of problem-based learning and lecture-based learning in internal medicine course at The School of Medicine and Pharmacy – the University of Danang

“…Bindayna surveyed the effectiveness of the PBL microbiology practice module on a small group of 110 students at the Faculty of Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain, and found that more than 50% of the students agreed or strongly agree that the time spent on PBL is moderate, the topics discussed are relevant, the lecturer's presentations are clear, the pre-sessional tutorials are brief and supportive of the learning. Only 38% of students thought that the lectures were lengthy [3].…”

“…The use of PBL in a laboratory setting promotes active learning. In fact, when combined with case-based scenarios, practice sessions enhance student understanding and help improve student outcomes [3].…”

“…Problem-based learning (PBL) is a competency-based teaching and training method [1], widely applied in many European and American countries [2]. In addition to learning about the lesson content, PBL also helps learners cultivate critical thinking, develop communication skills, create an environment for collective work, and stimulate students' initiative to seek information, self-study, and form problemsolving ability [3], [4], [5]. However, PBL has not been widely applied in medical schools in Asia [6], [7] as well as in Vietnam [8].…”