Perception of the faculty regarding problem-based learning as an educational approach in Northwestern Saudi Arabia
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of medical teachers regarding problem-based learning (PBL) in Northwestern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the beginning of the academic year 2014/2015 where the PBL method had recently been introduced. Medical academic staff (n=110) were invited to participate in the study. Data about staff sociodemographic characteristics, PBL knowledge, attitudes, and practice were collected via a pre-designed structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 77.3% (85 out of 110). The proportion of staff having good PBL knowledge was 76.5% (95% CI= 68.5%-84.5%), with the higher proportion being observed among the male staff (79.1%), professors (86%), and associate professors (88%). Significantly higher positive perceptions were found among male and clinical sciences staff. The PBL practice of the studied staff was 35%, with a statistically significant difference observed between male and female staff. Problem-based learning practice was also higher among clinical staff (42%), associate professors (40%), and professors (38%). CONCLUSION: A considerably high proportion of the studied medical staff was found to have good knowledge and favorable attitudes towards PBL. Training courses by the college should be considered for the staffs who have not previously engaged in such learning methods, as well for the junior and new staff.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Most tutor satisfaction publications were surveys or questionnaires.
“most of them surveys or questionnaires [85, 88, 92, 98, 108, 110, 119].”
From Effectiveness of problem-based learning methodology in undergraduate medical education: a scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [119]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Problem-Based Learning: What and How Do Students Learn?
Hmelo‐Silver, C. E. (2004) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1023/b:edpr.0000034022.16470.f3 · Cited by 5,416 · see citing works
Wood, D. F. (2003) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7384.328 · Cited by 2,140 · see citing works
The process of problem‐based learning: what works and why
Schmidt, H. G., Rotgans, J. I., & Yew, E. H. (2011) · Medical Education · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04035.x · Cited by 855 · see citing works
Educational Technology Research and Development
(2013) · Educational Technology Research and Development · doi:10.1007/11423.1556-6501 · Cited by 789 · see citing works
Theory to reality: a few issues in implementing problem-based learning
Hung, W. (2011) · Educational Technology Research and Development · doi:10.1007/s11423-011-9198-1 · Cited by 398 · see citing works
Wood, D. (2008) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.39546.716053.80 · Cited by 306 · see citing works
An analysis of peer, self, and tutor assessment in problem-based learning tutorials
Papinczak, T., Young, L., Groves, M., & Haynes, M. A. (2007) · Medical Teacher · doi:10.1080/01421590701294323 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Current educational reform and the significance of problem-based learning
Margetson, D. (1994) · Studies in Higher Education · doi:10.1080/03075079412331382103 · Cited by 138 · see citing works
Medical education in Saudi Arabia: a review of recent developments and future challenges
Telmesani, A. M. A., Zaini, R. G., & Ghazi, H. (2011) · Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal · doi:10.26719/2011.17.8.703 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Meo, S. A. (2013) · AJP Advances in Physiology Education · doi:10.1152/advan.00031.2013 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Cohen‐Schotanus, J., Muijtjens, A. M. M., Schönrock-Adema, J., Geertsma, J., & van der Vleuten, C. P. M. (2008) · Medical Education · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2923.2007.02959.x · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Lewis, A. D., Menezes, D. B., McDermott, H., HIBBERT, L. J., Brennan, S.-L., Ross, E. E., & Jones, L. A. (2009) · BMC Medical Education · doi:10.1186/1472-6920-9-60 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Introducing a problem-based learning program: 12 tips for success
Azer, S. A. (2011) · Medical Teacher · doi:10.3109/0142159x.2011.558137 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Hande, S., Mohammed, C. A., & Komattil, R. (2015) · Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.jtumed.2014.01.008 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Knowledge and attitude of faculty members on problem based learning.
Rahman, M. E., Rahman, S., Musa, K., & Shuvra, M. R. (2004) · PubMed · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Development and Evaluation of a PBL-based Continuing Education for Clinical Nurses: A Pilot Study
Kim, H. S., Hwang, S. Y., Oh, E. G., & Lee, J. E. (2006) · Daehan ganho haghoeji · doi:10.4040/jkan.2006.36.8.1308 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Investigation of nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes about problem-based learning
Luo, Y., Zhou, D., Luo, Y., Yan, S., & Liu, D. (2014) · International Journal of Nursing Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.ijnss.2014.02.009 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
The attitudes of teacher educators to the use of problem based learning: The video triggers approach
Ma, A., Fong, K. S., O’Toole, J. M., & Keppell, M. (2007) · Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [18]Gowda Sh Kaliyadan F Amin TT Al Wadani F Bathula S Students’ perceptions of a short Problem Based Learning module in an Arab university: Do perceptions change with time? Education in Medical Journal 2013 5 e77 e81
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Trullàs, J. C., Blay, C., Sarri, E., & Pujol, R. (2022) · BMC Medical Education · doi:10.1186/s12909-022-03154-8 · Cited by 473 · see citing works
Afghan Lecturers’ Perception of Problem-Based Learning: A Case Study of Takhar University
Orfan, S. N., Akramy, S. A., Noori, A. Q., & Hashemi, A. (2021) · Journal of Problem-Based Learning · doi:10.24313/jpbl.2021.00059 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“The finding is on a par with the results of the study by Ahmed and Malik (2013) and Aboonq (2015) who reported that their participants had strong perceptions towards the use of PBL.”
ResultDevelopment of problem based learning training module in nursing education
Sathya, P., & Reddemma, K. (2017) · International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences · doi:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20171830 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Study concluded that training courses by the college should be considered for the staff who are not practicing PBL as a teaching strategy.(8) Hence effort was taken to develop PBL module that suits the Nursing faculty with theory and practical and train the Nurse Educators in PBL.”
MethodMetodologias ativas no ensino superior: opiniões, conhecimentos e atitudes docentes
Soares, L. D. S., da Silva, N. C., & Moncaio, A. C. S. (2019) · Revista de Enfermagem UFPE on line · doi:10.5205/1981-8963-v13i3a236317p783-795-2019 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Salienta-se que, entre os 25 artigos que compuseram a amostra deste estudo, apenas dois, de origem internacional, apresentaram relatos de professores que consideraram a reforma curricular tranquila, desafiante e motivadora, e que a descreveram como uma ótima experiência e uma oportunidade de adquirir novos conheciment…”
BackgroundAl-shehri, H., O’haj, M., Elsini, R., Alharbi, H., Jabari, M. A., Al-Qashar, F. A., & Rochow, N. (2018) · Advances in Medical Education and Practice · doi:10.2147/amep.s167290 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“The supervisor’s main role is to help the students learn how the scientific investigation process works and deliver the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to achieve the goals of the PBL. 19 Also, from another perspective, Eva et al 20 and Neville 21 presented the PBL tutor’s role from a cognitive psychology poin…”
InfluentialRajab, K. D., Hamdi, M., Reshan, M. S. A., Asiri, Y., Shaikh, A., & Rajab, A. D. (2022) · Electronics · doi:10.3390/electronics11050694 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Mohammed, M. A., & Ali, I. (2024) · BMC Medical Education · doi:10.1186/s12909-024-06285-2 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“These findings are comparable with those of Orfan, S. N., et al., Aboonq, Ahmed, Z., and Malik, who reported that their participants had positive perceptions towards the use of PBL in various kinds of instructional and learning activities [22, 26, 27].”
ResultFaculty Perception Towards a “Hybrid” Problem Based Learning Methodology
Joseph, N. (2016) · JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH · doi:10.7860/jcdr/2016/21910.8872 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Problem-based learning in medical degree teaching: a scoping reviewPreprint
Trullàs, J. C., Blay, C., Sarri, E., & Pujol, R. (2021) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-514038/v1 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Saudagar, F. N. I., & Madadin, M. S. (2025) · Journal of Family and Community Medicine · doi:10.4103/jfcm.jfcm_195_25 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Wondie, K. Y., Endale, Z. M., Abrahim, A. H., Asefa, A. A., Alamneh, A. A., Berihun, B. K., Adamu, B. K., Selamsew, B. A., Kebede, A. A., & Tsega, N. T. (2022) · Advances in Medical Education and Practice · doi:10.2147/amep.s368357 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“5%).(22) This discrepancy may be explained by time gaps and difference in institutional characteristics.”
BackgroundInfluentialPROBLEM-BASED LEARNING: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT TODAY?
SHKARIN, V. V., FEDOROVA, O. V., Капитонова, М. Ю., Talip, S. B., RAMLI, N., Brohi, I. B., Udochkina, L. A., & Gupalo, S. (2025) · Avicenna Bulletin · doi:10.25005/2074-0581-2025-27-2-317-326
Trullàs, J. C., Blay, C., Sarri, E., & Pujol, R. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.19194104
Neggasa, M. L., Yadessa, F., Angasu, K., Benti, N. B., Abebe, Y., Wedajo, L. F., & Atomsa, L. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-8367559/v1
- Authors
- Aboonq, M.
- Affiliations
- Taibah University (SA)
- Corresponding author
- Aboonq, Moutasem
- ORCID
- Aboonq, Moutasem
- Venue
- Saudi Medical Journal
- Publisher
- Armed Forces Medical Services
- Published
- 2015-11
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1329-1335
- ISSN
- 0379-5284 (ISSN-L)
- 1658-3175
- PMC
- PMC4673371
- OpenAlex
- W2266884201
- Cited by
- 15
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 4.99
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-sa
- Locations
- Saudi Medical Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Taibah University
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Problem and Project Based Learning
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Biomedical and Engineering Education
- Keywords
- problem-based learning, medical education, knowledge, attitudes and practices, faculty training, gender differences
- MeSH terms
- Cross-Sectional Studies, Faculty, Medical, Female, Humans, Male, Saudi Arabia, Problem-Based Learning
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
