Effects of problem-based learning in Chinese radiology education: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: In recent years, the problem-based learning (PBL) teaching method has been extensively applied as an experimental educational method in Chinese radiology education. However, the results of individual studies were inconsistent and inconclusive. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of PBL on radiology education in China. METHODS: Databases of Chinese and English languages were searched from inception up to November 2017. The standard mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to determine the over effects of PBL compared with the traditional teaching method. RESULTS: Seventeen studies involving 1487 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Of them, 16 studies provided sufficient data for the pooled analysis and showed that PBL teaching method had a positive effect on achieving higher theoretical scores compared with the traditional teaching method (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI [0.68, 1.71]). Thirteen studies provided sufficient data on skill scores, and a significant difference in favor of PBL was also observed (SMD = 2.10, 95% CI [1.38, 2.83]). Questionnaire surveys were applied in most of the included studies and indicated positive effects of PBL on students' learning interest, scope of knowledge, team spirit, and oral expression. CONCLUSION: The result shows that PBL appears to be more effective on radiology education than traditional teaching method in China. However, the heterogeneity of the included studies cannot be neglected. Further well-designed studies about this topic are needed to confirm the above findings.
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The four systematic reviews and meta-analysis included in this scoping review, all carried out in China, found that PBL was more effective than lecture-based learning in improving knowledge and other skills (clinical, problem-solving, self-learning and collaborative).
“the four systematic reviews and meta-analysis included in this scoping review, all carried out in China, found that PBL was more effective than lecture-based learning in improving knowledge and other skills (clinical, problem-solving, self-learning and collaborative) [40, 51, 53, 58].”
From Effectiveness of problem-based learning methodology in undergraduate medical education: a scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [51]
The four meta-analysis included in this review show results clearly favorable to PBL methodology in terms of knowledge, clinical skills, problem-solving, self-learning and satisfaction.
“the four meta-analysis included in this review, which included a high number of participants, show results that are clearly favorable to the PBL methodology in terms of knowledge, clinical skills, problem-solving, self-learning and satisfaction [40, 51, 53, 58].”
From Effectiveness of problem-based learning methodology in undergraduate medical education: a scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [51]
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Additional file 1 of Using PACS for teaching radiology to undergraduate medical students
Mojtahedzadeh, R., Aeen, M., Rajabzadeh, F., & Saeed, A. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26943657
Trullàs, J. C., Blay, C., Sarri, E., & Pujol, R. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19194104
Additional file 2 of Using PACS for teaching radiology to undergraduate medical students
Mojtahedzadeh, R., Aeen, M., Rajabzadeh, F., & Saeed, A. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26943660
Students' competencies in Problem-Based Learning influence evaluation of tutors
Cui, L., 刘志荣, Cao, Y., Qiu, R., Li, Y., 任桂杰, Zhang, Z., & Cong, H. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1792056
- Authors
- Zhang, S., Xu, J., Wang, H., Zhang, D., Zhang, Q., & Zou, L.
- Affiliations
- Army Medical University (CN)
- General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region (CN)
- Xinqiao Hospital (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Zou, Liguang
- Venue
- Medicine
- Published
- 2018-03
- Volume
- 97
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- e0069
- ISSN
- 0025-7974 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5851720
- OpenAlex
- W2791105933
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 1.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nd
- Locations
- Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (81401466)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Problem and Project Based Learning
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Radiology practices and education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
- Keywords
- problem-based learning, radiology education, medical education, traditional teaching methods, theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, student learning interest, team spirit, oral expression, Chinese medical students
- MeSH terms
- China, Educational Measurement, Humans, Language, Radiology, Students, Problem-Based Learning
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