Looking for case studies to cite in our Magnet School Grant Application for the competitive priority 2 "New Magnet School" where we can cite up to two studies that are relevant to our grant.
Well, we are currently running a study comparing the difference between the teaching with the traditional learning curriculum versus the BPL curriculum for medical students.
Can the results be of a benefit for you?
PBL is unfortunately another unguided method of instruction, which has consistently been outperformed by direct instruction. See the important article from Richard Mayer (eminent cognitive scientist) entitled, "Should there be a three-strikes rule against pure discovery learning?"
LINK: http://projects.ict.usc.edu/itw/vtt/MayerThreeStrikesAP04.pdf
PBLs real promise comes only in using AFTER ensuring students are equipped with appropriate background knoweldge and offered guidance through the process - assuming a goal is for them to learn material and skills. In effect, unguided learning (such as PBL) overburden students' working memory through too much extraneous cognitive load.
However, since it sounds like your goal is to push this for the grant because you believe in PBL I would suggest you use the problems found with such unguided methods of learning and offer a modified approach including more support for students so as to promote inquiry in a way that respects students cognitive load capacity. Good luck with your grant!
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