The Relationships between Student's Characteristics and Learning Effectiveness in Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relationships between students' characteristics and learning effectiveness in problem-based learning (PBL). [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were nineteen third-year students in the physical therapy university course. The student self-evaluation and the verbal contribution in PBL were measured as indicators of PBL effects. After two months PBL implementation, the relationships between PBL effects and the students' characteristics, such as academic grade, personality, habit of self-study, self-study hours, and students' satisfaction were examined using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. [Results] Significant correlations between student self-evaluation and academic grade, personality, habit of self-study, self-study hours and students' satisfaction were demonstrated. The correlation between verbal contribution and student self-evaluation and academic grade, self-study hours and students' satisfaction were also significant. [Conclusion] Relationships between PBL effects and students' characteristics were suggested by the results.