Students' and teachers' experiences of a problem-based learning method in health promotion in a Finnish polytechnic

Abstract

Objective This study explored students' and their teachers' experiences of a problem-based learning method (PBL) and its manifestation in health promotion education.

Design The study was based on a more extensive follow-up research project that investigated the teaching and learning of health promotion in two polytechnics of health care from 1997 to 2000.

Settings A Finnish polytechnic of health care and nursing within a larger multidisciplinary educational institution.

Method The data consisted of interviews with nine student nurses and ten teachers, conducted in 1999 and 2000. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results During the first year when the polytechnic started to teach by using the PBL method, both the students and the teachers thought that there was insufficient time to work on problems and learning materials. They also experienced frustration regarding the lack of solutions to their problems and were disappointed with the role of facilitators. Both groups were concerned about controlling the students' learning and the quality of education. During the second year, the students and the teachers had learnt to use the PBL method and apply it to health promotion issues. Both groups thought that the PBL method made it easier for individuals to work together, to overcome barriers and to create solutions that were more flexible or unconventional.

Conclusions The results represent a major challenge concerning the practical circumstances of learning and teaching by using the PBL method. The learning cases emphasise the interdependence of the content and the teaching method of health promotion in curricula.