Problem Based Learning vs Lecture Based Learning

Hi, I am currently studying biochemistry (in zurich) and wish to apply for medicine in the UK, what is the difference between PBL (problem based learning) and LBL (lecture based learning). Which one would require more work (during personal time), and which one is more interactive?

Cheers.

Reply 1

Phalanges

18

In PBL you are as good as the weakest member of the group. In LBL you are as good as you.

I dare say they both require a similar amount of work. In PBL you have to prepare work for the classes, while lectures are supplemented by a fair bit of self-study (and in my case writing essays). It's probably easier to do less work in LBL and have nobody notice, but that's a negative.

Interactivity depends really on the institution. I attend one of the most definitive LBL courses there is, but I get plenty of interactivity through tutorials, seminar and practicals. If you're just going to look at lectures vs PBL groups, then it's obvious which one is more interactive, but that's a pretty reductive way to look at it as no course is completely one or the other.

Reply 2

Wangers

16

It depends what you're happy with and how quickly you pick tings up.

Reply 3

jaderocks

5

I'm at Bristol so it's lecture based learning and I would definitely recommend it. Everything you need to know is covered in lectures so everyone has the same level of knowledge. You need to do quite a bit of work out of lectures to keep up with the workload as lectures are generally quite fast paced and the exams are hard! We have tutorials as well and case study groups so there is a degree in interactive learning as well. And so many people told me that lecture based learning means that you don't see a patient for the first couple of years but that is true at all! Most more traditional courses have some form of clinical placement in the first year.

I think problem based learning suits some people, but from what my friend at peninsula has told me it's lots of self directed learning, and some things which I consider as pretty basic, vital elements of medicine haven't been covered in a single lecture! Personally, if I was on a PBL course, I would be constantly worried that I hadn't covered enough work myself and I had massive gaps in my knowledge. And one of the main selling points of peninsula when I had an interview there was all the early clinical contact, but from what I've heard I've had more at Bristol!

Reply 4

Gizmo!

11

pbl much better.

fewer lectures means you get to plan your time for yourself.

and early on in medicine courses,some whole modules of lectures cover a lot of pointless **** to be honest, that is good for your non-clinical lecturer to keep hold of his steady job.

imagine how further you would be ahead if you werent chained into doing this work, but focused on aspects of direct clinical relevance.
also, you'd get more bang for your buck, wif teaching only when on on what you need, rather than what and when suits the lecturer. meanwhile, a lot of basic **** could be learned yourself from books. you can focus on more clinically relvant material whislt the LBL peeple are still learning chemical formulae of amino acids.

good reasons why the peninsula crowd are well ahead of the lecture based students by year 2.

Reply 5

Hygeia

14

smerfo

Hi, I am currently studying biochemistry (in zurich) and wish to apply for medicine in the UK, what is the difference between PBL (problem based learning) and LBL (lecture based learning). Which one would require more work (during personal time), and which one is more interactive?

Cheers.

One thing to remember is that even though a course may be predominantly PBL, this doesn't mean you don't have any lecture based teaching. E.g. my course is one of the PBL courses and this week I've had 2 1/2 hours of PBL along with 11 hours of lectures and seminar (then a day in GP and 3 hours of communication skills).

PBL does contain a fair amount of self directed learning and studying but some people do more work than others and it's difficult to compare the amount of work an individual might do on one course compared to another. Interactivity wise, it's difficult to say. PBL as a concept is very interactive but seminars can be very interactive as well.

Reply 6

Gizmo!

11

the most important fing for me is that you can plan your time better both for your learning to be directed at patient care AND for your own life management AND getting better value education to boot.

instead of feeling compelled to turn up for lectures that can often be worthless in the long run, and losing out on valuable life time doing it, and losing out on money that isnt really being directed towards your medical education asd well as it could, but is suited to the lecturers needs instead.

its a triple whammy of losses, and thats 'uge for me at least.

there is a reverse aspect too.
becos i am on a LBL course, and i've recognised that some of my modules are worthless in advance of them starting, i can skip whole terms of lectures quite easily. but its still a massive mispending of my money on my medical education if i am able to miss vast racts of lectures,......when you fink what you could ave done wif that money!

Reply 7

Philosoraptor

18

Horses for courses really I cannot say which one is better - but likely one of them is better for YOU.

For me :
PBL =

well said philo

imagine how further you would be ahead if you werent chained into doing this work, but focused on aspects of direct clinical relevance.
also, you'd get more bang for your buck, wif teaching only when on on what you need, rather than what and when suits the lecturer. meanwhile, a lot of basic **** could be learned yourself from books. you can focus on more clinically relvant material whislt the LBL peeple are still learning chemical formulae of amino acids.

good reasons why the peninsula crowd are well ahead of the lecture based students by year 2.

Although learning a lot of non-clinical stuff is a bit tedious, I strongly believe that without a decent science background, clinical stuff is a lot harder to fully understand. I'm a second year now, so it's a lot more clinical and I'm so grateful for the stuff we learnt in the first year, as without it I don't think I'd understand some of the material half as well.

And as for peninsula students being ahead, they probably can name more diseases and drugs then I can, but I think I have a much better understanding of normal physiology and general pharmacological actions. And until you know what's normal, how can you understand what isn't!?

Plus, my friend in their first year at peninsula has said that they have covered hardly any anatomy so far. Seems pretty crazy to me!

Reply 10

Gizmo!

11

jaderocks

Although learning a lot of non-clinical stuff is a bit tedious, I strongly believe that without a decent science background,

aye, you do tend to believe what you want, clearly. you probably need to, to get thru all that tedious useless drivel.

Plus, my friend in their first year at peninsula has said that they have covered hardly any anatomy so far. Seems pretty crazy to me!

interesting observation, that is - seeing as most peeple would see a 2nd year medic from an entirely different school labelling qualified med school course tutors as pretty friggin fruitcake, macca.

Problem Based Learning vs Lecture Based Learning

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