20 years of active learning practice at Saga University: Educational reform from Problem-based Learning to Team-based Learning and Case-based Lecture

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how we have been improving our educational system by focusing on active learning at Saga University. In 2001, we started collaborating with the University of Hawaii and incorporated their Problem-based Learning (PBL) system into our curriculum. In 2008, we also introduced Team-based Learning (TBL) developed by Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore; however, we decided to discontinue TBL and incorporate a combination of Case-based Lecture (CBL) and PBL in 2016. These changes were made to 1) facilitate the improvement of students’ learning style from passive to active learning, 2) maintain a balance between obtaining basic knowledge and acquiring self-directed problem-solving skills, and 3) achieve our goal to build the most effective and efficient curriculums with limited resources. It was also crucial to enhance the educational environment by establishing formative assessments for self-learning and incorporating clinical skills training to implement active learning. This paper discusses our experiences and thoughts on both the challenges and prospects of active learning in the medical education setting.