Vol. 6, No. 1. ISSN: 1473-8376 www.hlst.heacademy.ac.uk/johlste
PRACTICE PAPER
‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening.’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics Michael Duncan (
[email protected]), Mark Lyons (
[email protected]) and Yahya Al-Nakeeb (
[email protected]) Department of Physical Education and Sports Studies, Newman College of Higher Education, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3NT DOI:10.3794/johlste.61.143 Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education
Abstract Problem-based learning (PBL) has been used in many situations to develop students’ critical thinking, interaction and problem solving skills. Despite being commonly used by lecturers, the effects of PBL have not been investigated in sports studies. This paper outlines the process of developing a second year, undergraduate module in sport and exercise biomechanics using problem-based learning. Following completion of the module, students completed reflective learning reports and participated in focus group interviews. Results from the focus group interviews and end-module questionnaires revealed that PBL delivery allowed greater autonomy to explore issues and problems, and served to develop the students’ enthusiasm for and engagement with the subject compared to traditionally delivered modules. The students also reported that the content was stimulating, that PBL based delivery would help them prepare for the final year of their degree, and allowed them to develop particular skills that might be useful in later employment. Keywords: Constructivism, Problem Solving, Module Development, Curriculum, Problem-based learning (PBL) Michael Duncan is a Senior Lecturer at Newman College of H.E. He teaches Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology on the BSc Single Honours and BA/BSc Joint Honours courses at Newman College. His main pedagogical research interests are in the role of problem-based and enquiry-based learning in maximising student learning. Mark Lyons is a Lecturer at Newman College of H.E. He teaches Biomechanics on the BSc Single Honours, BA/BSc Joint Honours and BEd Initial Teacher Training courses at Newman College. His main pedagogical research interests are in the role of problem-based learning in maximising student learning. Yahya Al-Nakeeb is a Professor of Sports Studies at Newman College of H.E., he is Head of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Studies and is also the College’s Director of Research.
Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics
Introduction Problem-based learning (PBL) has long been used within the context of medical education as a means to foster motivation, promote problem-solving abilities and to encourage student interaction and independent learning (Willis et al., 2002; Camp, 1996). More recently there has been an increase in the use of problem-based learning within teaching in higher education in a range of subject areas (Savin-Baden, 2000). A PBL approach has several advantages compared to other teaching methods such as didactic, lecture-led delivery. This approach has the potential to build on previous knowledge, enable immediate application of knowledge to construct solutions to specific problems, and facilitate a team-based learning environment that enhances student learning and independent thinking (Camp, 1996). PBL is also consistent with current philosophical views on student learning in higher education and, in particular, constructivism (Norman and Schmidt, 1992; Savery and Duffy, 1995; Savin-Baden and Howell-Major, 2004). Courses employing a PBL approach enable students to construct knowledge based on their prior understanding, to make comparisons with their peers’ knowledge and refine their understanding as they gain experience in dealing with the problems they confront (Camp, 1996). A PBL curriculum should include problem scenarios as a central component of each module, with seminars, lectures or laboratory practicals feeding into the module(s) to allow students to construct their own knowledge and understanding of a particular problem (Savin-Baden and Howell-Major, 2004). Unlike traditional information driven curricula, PBL begins with a problem, often based on real facts or simulation of a real situation, and requires students to work alone and in groups to find solutions. The information, resources and skills developed come directly from the requirements and specifications of the problem. The advantage is that real problems do not have simple solutions and require comparison and analysis of resources, strategies and costs. As such, the learner develops skills of retrieval, selection and discrimination, and applies these in a holistic way allowing development of a deep approach to learning (Biggs, 1999) and achieves significant increases in real-world skills when compared to more didactic delivery (Dochy et al., 2003; Willis et al., 2002). In the context of sport science, although the fundamental premise behind PBL applies to a range of domains, within sports science it appears that there has been limited investigation of the impact of PBL on students’ learning experience. Furthermore, there is scant research examining how the implementation of a PBL approach can influence staff and students ‘lived experience’ of the curriculum. While there is an expectation that PBL can make a difference in students’ learning the reality of these expected differences has not yet been fully articulated (Savin-Baden, 2000; SavinBaden and Howell-Major, 2004). Recently, Duncan and Al-Nakeeb (2006) outlined the development, and student experiences, of a PBL-based final year undergraduate module in exercise physiology. This research indicated that students found that, compared to traditional lecture led delivery, PBL was engaging, provided for increased student autonomy, independent thought, critical thinking skills and equipped students with practical, employment related skills. However, their study was based on a module taught over 10 weeks. They suggested that this was a particular barrier to learning and that students, especially those new to PBL, may need more time to ‘get to grips’ with problem scenarios in PBL based modules. They concluded that future work examining PBL within sports studies is needed to really identify key elements that could be used to structure future curricula. Similarly, Martin et al. (2006) used PBL in a final year sport and exercise science module. This work suggested that intrinsic motivation and locus of control was increased post PBL delivery. Within this study, students also reported greater ownership of learning and felt that PBL enhanced their communication, teamwork and time management skills. Martin et al. (2006) concluded that PBL can help promote learner autonomy in final year students and suggested that these benefits might also be gained if PBL is introduced earlier on in HE courses, before students become focused on outcome alone.
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Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics This is an interesting area as prior research has suggested that first year undergraduates perceive themselves to be in control of their success or failure (Fazey and Fazey, 2001). Yet research within sports science has focused on final year undergraduates and reported that these students perceive themselves to have little control over their own success and failure (Martin et al., 2006) and that final year students new to PBL need additional time to become accustomed to this mode of delivery (Duncan and Al-Nakeeb, 2006). The majority of literature on PBL has focused on practical application and outcomes, rather than the process of constructing and running modules/programmes that employ PBL, or the students’ experiences and perceptions of this as a learning method (SavinBaden, 2000; Savin-Baden and Howell-Major, 2004). It may therefore be of interest to practitioners to investigate the process of integrating PBL into teaching in Levels 4 or 5 of undergraduate Sports Studies courses and examine how this impacts on students’ learning experience. The aim of this paper is thus to build on recent work with PBL in sports related courses (Duncan and Al-Nakeeb, 2006; Martin et al., 2006), outline the development of a PBL module in Year 2 of a Sports Studies undergraduate degree course, and report students’ experience of this module.
What is Problem-based Learning? PBL is a learning environment that embodies most of the principles that improve learning: active, cooperating, getting prompt feedback tailored to student's learning preferences, with student empowerment and accountability. PBL encourages the students to learn the fundamental principles of the subject in the context of needing it to solve a problem. Hence, the subject knowledge is learned in formats different from those found in traditional subject-based format. PBL offers an opportunity to practice, use, and even develop such key skills as problem solving, interpersonal, group and team skills, and the ability to cope with change (Mennin et al., 2003).
Development of a Sport and Exercise Biomechanics module using problem-based learning The impact of PBL on students’ learning experience was examined using a single module approach (Savin-Baden, 2003) on a second year module titled ‘Biomechanical Basis of Human Movement’ within the institution’s BSc Sports Studies course. The module was designed using the McMaster model where the students engage with one problem at a time and meet two or three times with the tutor over the course of the problem exercise (Savin-Baden, 2003). Congruent with guidelines suggested by Savin-Baden (2003), the module was designed so that problem scenarios from sport and exercise biomechanics were the central component of the module. Lectures, seminars and laboratory practicals were designed to feed into the problem scenarios at an appropriate time. The module format was modelled on a successful PBL module in Sports Studies (Duncan and Al-Nakeeb, 2006). The module was also scheduled to run over 20 weeks, based on suggestions made by Duncan and Al-Nakeeb (2006), as students undertaking this module were new to PBL delivery. The module was designed to highlight a series of problems for the students to resolve with a particular focus on concepts, competencies and issues related to sport and exercise biomechanics, and biomechanical support for specific groups. A wide variety of problems have been used within PBL delivery, but these have not tended to be based within the sports domain and limited attention has been given to the design of problems for PBL (Savin-Baden and Howell-Major, 2004). This potentially made the development of problem scenarios for this module difficult. However, like Duncan and Al-Nakeeb (2006), the Schmidt and Moust (2002) taxonomy of problems was used to assist in generating scenarios. The specific problem scenarios within the final module centred around four main themes relevant to sport and exercise biomechanics: balance/stability; video analysis of human movement; angles of release; and analysis of force. Example problem scenarios used with the types of knowledge developed for this module and the concepts engaged with are presented in Table 1.
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Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics
Example Problem
Type of knowledge
Type of Problem
Concepts/Competencies Expected to Engage With
A shot putter has had his angle of release assessed and has been told that he releases the shot putt at an angle lower than the optimal angle of projection. He has been told that the optimal angle of projection is 45 degrees but in training he cannot project at this angle. Explain why this might be the case in layman’s terms and provide recommendations for this athlete on which angle (or range of angles) might be optimal for shot putt distance.
Explanatory
Explanation
Angle of projection
Descriptive
Fact Finding Strategy
Relationships between speed of projection, height of projection and angle of projection
A group of footballers have been told by their strength and conditioning coach that they need to generate more force to compete at a high level. Their coach has asked you to evaluate the force development characteristics of his players and suggest an appropriate strategy for developing force in his squad that could be integrated into their training plans.
Explanatory
Explanation
Force development
Descriptive
Fact Finding Strategy
Methodological concerns when assessing force
A hiking stick manufacturer wants to establish that use of their sticks assists in balancing when hill walking. Provide a report for the company outlining how this could be examined and what theoretical support is available to support their claims.
Explanatory
Explanation
Balance and stability
Descriptive
Fact Finding Strategy
Base of support
Procedural
Projectile motion
Procedural
Use of force platforms, linear position transducers and drop jumps Prescription of training using biomechanical data
Procedural
Static equilibrium Distinguishing between types of stability (e.g. mediolateral or ateroposterior) Methodological concerns when using stability platforms
Table 1: Example Problem Scenarios Used in the Module
The first two sessions in the module were used to outline the module themes and assessment requirements, and to provide a lecture type overview of basic concepts in biomechanics. The tutors felt that these sessions were necessary to remind students of some of the critical concepts in biomechanics (e.g. Newton’s laws) that they had covered in Year 1 of their course, and that were needed to explore the new themes within this module. Following this, students were presented with a particular problem scenario. They were then left to investigate the problem in groups of six/seven for the first session of each problem. During this period the tutor was available as a resource (providing lab time and equipment) in accordance with suggestions made by Savin-Baden and Howell-Major (2004). This initial period typically involved a number of skills including literature searching, computer/internet use, discussion among group members, formulation of investigative strategies and
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Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics working with particular pieces of scientific equipment. Seminars, workshop sessions and laboratory practical sessions were then set up depending on how or what the students wanted to pursue in their acquisition of information and development of a critical independent stance. The final session in each problem scenario comprised student discussions of, and solutions to, the problem scenarios, and an overview of relevant theory associated with the topic (provided by the tutor).
Assessment of PBL As the use of PBL has become more widespread in HE the variety of assessment modes has also diversified. The range of assessment modes used in PBL courses includes: examinations, reports; individual and group presentations; case studies; tripartite assessment and self-assessment (see Macdonald and Savin-Baden, 2003, for a comprehensive overview). Macdonald and Savin-Baden (2003) also noted that there are many ways of implementing PBL, but the underlying philosophy is associated with a more student centred approach. They also recommended a number of guidelines for assessment in PBL. These include: • • • •
Assessment should be based in a practice context It should assess some process based activity Students should experience working with clients, peers, or people they may experience in a professional capacity There should be alignment between objectives, learning outcomes and teaching methods.
Macdonald and Savin-Baden (2003) further add that assessment in PBL primarily needs to focus on how students integrate the whole learning process as distinct from what has actually been learned. Normally student learning is significantly influenced by the assessment methods used but if assessment methods rely entirely on recalling facts then PBL is unlikely to succeed in the curriculum. As a result, the assessment tasks developed for this module attempted to adopt these guidelines. Two forms of assessment were utilised within the module: a written report and an examination. Both written reports and examinations have been used previously to assess students on PBL courses and written reports, in particular, have been cited as developing important practical skills, especially when a small word count is used as it promotes succinct, critical pieces of work (Macdonald and SavinBaden, 2003). The report required students to engage with one of the scenarios presented to them within the module and provide a practically based solution to the problem. This was short (2000 words) to encourage a concise, critical stance. This adhered to the guidelines proposed above as the assessment was: based in a practice context (i.e. what they did to solve the problem); assessed process based activity (i.e. how they used particular protocols, equipment and the procedures they employed); ensured working with clients and peers (it necessitated performing in a scientific support context with real individuals); and the objectives, learning outcomes and teaching methods were aligned accordingly. Marking criteria were presented to the students at the beginning of the module and, in accordance with the suggestions of previous authors (Savin-Baden and Howell-Major, 2004; Savin-Baden, 2003), the report did not simply assess the student’s ability to provide knowledge, but rather assessed the students acquisition of practical skills, their ability to use or engage with particular equipment/techniques, the collection of practical information and data from client groups, and their ability to evaluate the way in which they came to their solution with regard to prior literature. In regard to the examination component of the module, this was designed with reference to examination procedures used successfully within PBL previously (see Macdonald and Savin-Baden, 2003, for a review). The examination questions involved a series of problem-based scenarios that were anchored to the main themes of the module. These required students to reapply concepts, arguments and theory that had been previously used to solve the in-class problems in the module. The examination comprised a number of short response problems that sought to examine the students’ application of knowledge to real life situations alongside their ability to evaluate and select
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Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics information, and demonstrate competence in the scientific reasoning behind their solution to each problem scenario question.
Student’s perceptions and experience of problem-based learning In order to examine the student’s experience of the module, focus group interviews were conducted with groups of four to six students at the end of the module. Although the perceptions and experiences of the students in this study may not be generalisable to other learners, examining an individual’s perceptions and experiences can enhance practitioners’ understanding of environments that are expected to develop deep approaches to learning (Savin-Baden, 2003). In this instance, a qualitative approach was taken, as the research sought to understand the meaning of an experience to the participants in a specific setting (Thomas et al., 2005). Focus group interviews were chosen as they provide a more naturalistic data collection method compared to interviews or questionnaires (Wilkinson, 2004). They also allow respondents to build upon the responses of other group members and the relatively free flow of talk can provide an excellent opportunity for hearing the language and experiences of the respondents (Wilkinson, 2004).
Results The results from the focus group interviews revealed a number of themes within the student experience of PBL. These included the delivery of the sessions, content and skill development, and module timing. It was quite evident that some students who had taken this module had not experienced the type of delivery involved with PBL before, but although many found this a challenge to begin with, the delivery of the module was perceived to be effective. Student I commented that: “It was a change to begin with [the delivery of sessions], but you get used to it, at first it was like we were doing the sessions the wrong way round or something, but in the end it was better [than other forms of delivery]”. The students stated that the delivery of the module allowed them greater autonomy to explore issues and problems in the way they wanted to compared to traditionally delivered modules. For example, Student B noted: “I think it was better that we could choose what we wanted to do so we could take the work where we wanted to for us” and student D stated: “It’s taught me how to set out my own project and things like structure and how to research and it’s a different idea, you are out on your own and you have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening”. This theme was supported by a number of other comments including Student B’s: “at first it was daunting but you get used to doing it on your own and setting your own time limits and looking at things the way you specifically want to” and Student C: “rather than being told that this is how it is, the problem takes you where it goes and you have to find out yourself how to deal with it”. The students also preferred to have a specific problem to deal with rather than being given a lecture or workshop before they went away to work on associated tasks. It was clear from a number of student comments that simply presenting a problem and asking them to work through it can provide a stimulus for greater independence and critical thinking skills. For example, Student G noted: Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education 6(1), 71-80.
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Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics “If you have lectures first you kinda don’t know what’s going on sometimes, you can switch off, but having the problems first you sometimes don’t know what going on too, but then you have to work it out yourself, so you have to think more about it and you can’t switch off” Likewise, Student D stated: “I find it easier to learn when we do it this way because we see things happen and we do the testing [associated with the problem] ourselves instead of you like standing up in a lecture and telling us. When you are actually administering the tests yourself it’s easier to learn”. Student E also stated: “because you’re seeing it [The Problem] from a different view instead of just reading it from a book that someone else has done, or listening to it in a lecture, you actually have to do the tests yourself, you’ve got your own results and you are actually analysing it yourself” and Student J supported these statements reporting: “the kind of analysis we had to do on angles to solve the problem, we can now do it on the computer, but if we had just had lectures and been sent away to do it we wouldn’t know a lot of it. Although we sit and watch in normal lectures we don’t get to do it ourselves, but with this we do and you learn more”. Furthermore, the delivery of a problem-based scenario first, followed by theoretical input, appeared to be an attractive option for developing students’ enthusiasm for and engagement with the subject. Student C commented: “I never used to read before, but then I got into the coursework problem and it led me onto other related areas like motor control and how it’s linked to biomechanics, and now I can’t stop reading, it made me really get into it”. This theme was also highlighted in the end module questionnaires, with a number of students reporting that being able to work on a problem of their choice made them ‘more interested’ and more ‘inquisitive’ in biomechanics as a subject. In regard to skill development, the students also reported that the content was stimulating and allowed them to develop particular skills that might be useful in later employment. For example, Student G noted: “It would be dead useful if you wanted to go into coaching as it really relates to the job, you could be more informed if you were working with an athlete because we have actually done the practical side, learnt the skills that could help athletes improve”. Similarly student I commented: “personally you feel more ownership of what you have done and you can see it would be useful in PE teaching or sports coaching directly”. This was also supported by student J who noted: “I think it’s useful because the problems give you an idea of what you might face next year in terms of work when you are a PE teacher”.
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Duncan, Lyons and Al-Nakeeb (2007) ‘You have to do it rather than being in a class and just listening’ The impact of problem-based learning on the student experience in sports and exercise biomechanics As this was a second year module it was also interesting to note that the students thought PBL based delivery would also help them prepare for the final year of their degree. For example, Student G reported: “because the problems are more similar to the type of things we might do in a dissertation, so we know the kind of things we might have to do next year in terms of organising ourselves, working with people, like the people we tested [when solving the problems], and how to structure work properly”. Student A also commented on this point: “it made us more independent to look at what we wanted to, you can see now that it will help next year for the dissertations, it will help that we are more prepared for what we have to do when we have a bigger research project”. Overall, the student experience of this PBL module was positive and no student made negative comments about the module delivery or content. The use of PBL in this situation would certainly seem to be useful and advantageous in developing independent and creative thinking, and providing practical skills that would be useful in employment or later on in their degree. However, the results from the focus group interviews did provide some insight into barriers to learning within the module. Some students who fully engaged in resolving their problems expressed difficulty in obtaining particular resources. Student J commented on this issue: “we went away and tried to practically solve the problem but we should have seen if we could’ve got hold of any stuff because a lot of the stuff most closely related to what we did was harder to get, it was so specific” Student D reiterated this point: “because I got into a really specific area I did struggle to get some of the really specific journals I needed.” This module was delivered over 2 terms (approximately 20 teaching weeks) with a 12-week break in between to accommodate the institution’s generic work placement module. This appeared to be a particular barrier within the module and this issue was raised by a number of students. Student H stated: “I feel I learnt a lot of stuff before placement, went on placement, forgot some stuff and then have had to come and pick it up again this term” This was supported by Student E who commented: “timing was a big thing because sometimes we were in every day for this module and then we had to do placement so it broke it up a bit” These points may be important considerations for future practice within PBL. This particular module was the first module the students had undertaken that used PBL. It may be that on first presentation of PBL, particularly where the initial onus is on the student to investigate an issue, the tutor needs to exercise more control over where the students take their problems in relation to particular resources, or facilitate access to very specific journal stock if required. Furthermore, a number of the themes raised by students during focus groups are similar to those previously reported from PBL delivery (Duncan and Al-Nakeeb, 2006). As a result, greater consideration may need to be given to timing of the modules involved to allow fuller development of strategies to engage with problems effectively.
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Advantages and disadvantages of PBL Advantages Based on this study, the advantages could be summarised by the following: • It fosters active learning, improved understanding and development of lifelong learning skills • It allows students to develop generic skills and attitudes relevant to their future practice • It motivates students, as the process requires all students to be engaged in the learning process
Disadvantages The disadvantages could be summarised by: • PBL can be frustrating for tutors who enjoy passing on their own knowledge and understanding rather than facilitating a more independent, student centred approach • PBL is more labour intensive for staff involved in this form of teaching • Students may be unsure how much self-directed study to do and what information to collect and use • In some cases, students may want to engage with a wider range of resources than are currently available in the institution. It can be difficult for tutors to anticipate this demand fully as this depends to some extent on how students attempt to resolve their problems
Concluding Thoughts Savin-Baden (2000) noted that PBL is an approach to learning that is characterised by flexibility and diversity, in the sense that it can be implemented in a variety of ways in and across different subjects and disciplines in diverse contexts. As such it can therefore look very different to different people at different times, depending on the staff and students involved in the programmes utilising it. However, what will be similar is the locus of learning around problem scenarios rather than discrete subjects. In this specific instance, the use of a PBL approach appears to offer advantages in terms of student enjoyment, engagement and development of criticality compared to traditional, lecture led, delivery in Sports Studies. However, care may need to be taken in terms of timing of delivery and access to specific resources, particularly with groups who have no experience of PBL. Future work examining the lived experience of PBL within sports studies is needed to really identify key elements that could be used to structure future curricula. It may also be of interest to investigate the use of PBL throughout an undergraduate degree and to track students from Year 1 to fully examine the impact of PBL on the student experience of HE.
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