ERIC Number: EJ1358865
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Aug
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1990-3839
Motivation Heightens and Independent Thinking Deepens: Undergraduate Students Share Their Experiences of PBL While Learning Microeconomics
Dookwah, Rhonda; Julien, Gabriel
Educational Research and Reviews, v17 n8 p227-233 Aug 2022
The aim of this study is to analyze the use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in learning Microeconomics. It aims to answer the following research questions: What are the experiences of undergraduate students who studied with Problem-Based Learning (PBL)? Is this strategy useful at the undergraduate level? Does PBL really motivate students? Does it foster independent thinking? These questions are interesting but very complex and convoluted. The above questions created parameters for this action research which was done in relation to the teaching of an undergraduate course at a tertiary education institution. This paper presents the experiences of sixteen undergraduates at a tertiary institution in Trinidad and Tobago called New Model University. There is a paucity of information in the local setting as it pertains to this topic. As a result, the experiences of these sixteen students are valuable. Their diverse voices and varied experiences can certainly fill the existing gap. They can be instrumental for the better creation of policy. They can also assist in the effective implementation of PBL at tertiary education in Trinidad and Tobago. Furthermore, their voices and opinions answer the research question: What are the experiences of students who use Problem-Based Learning in the study of Microeconomics at New Model University? A seven-step approach to PBL was utilized as the main teaching and learning process. A case study was conducted over a period of twelve weeks. It incorporated open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews with four focus groups. The individual reflections and independent experiences of these sixteen students were carefully documented in weekly journals, and this complemented the data collection process. Data were collected, collated, analyzed, and narrated using six major themes. Recommendations which strongly advocate student-centered strategies were offered.
Descriptors: Student Motivation, Thinking Skills, Undergraduate Students, Problem Based Learning, Student Experience, Student Attitudes, Microeconomics, Foreign Countries
Academic Journals. e-mail: err@academic.journals.org; e-mail: service@academicjournals.org; Web site: http://academicjournals.org/journal/ERR
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Trinidad and Tobago
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A