Problem-Based Learning in a Health Sciences Curriculum

Problem-based learning is an approach which places the student at the centre of the learning process and is aimed at integrating what is learned in a lecture with what the student actually experiences in practice. The authors draw on their experience of designing and implememting a course for nurse educatoin in Australia to present effective strategies for those considering adopting the approach or adapting it to their own curriculum needs. The book identifies the advantages of such a method of learning in nursing and indicates how these might be extended to allied health disciplines, education and distance education. Each chapter addresses a particular aspect of problem-based learning, such as developing learning packages in chapters 1 and 2, looking at possible future questions for problem-based learning, and considering the necessary conditions for the development and maintenance of such a course. Other chapters discuss the integration of various types of knowledge and evaluation and in chapter 10 particular emphasis is put on guidance for adapting the course to use within a more traditional curriculum. All the chapters are presented from a very practical perspective with detailed examples. Problem-Based Learning in a Health Curriculum is based on the authors’ first-hand experience of setting up a problem-based course and the evaluation and comments from students quoted in the book illustrate their enthusiastic response to this type of learning. It will be of interest to all those who want to explore and extend their teaching methods, including nurse educators, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychologists.