Skills to Enhance Problem-based Learning

Medical and health professionals who have used PBL in the classroom have reported symptoms of weak group process and interaction skills among the students. These problems compromise the learning process. Hitchcock and Anderson identified five different small group dysfunctions:
Apathy, or lack of meaningful interaction.
· Limited or focused discussion that ignores other aspects of an issue.
· Dysfunctional group member who does not participate or perform work equally with others in the group.
· Scapegoated student, who becomes ignored by other group members.
· Domineering student who disrupts, or prevents others to learn through the process.
For faculty, poor interpersonal skills (as determined through informal interviews) can lead to:
· A class becoming hostile towards the instructor due to frustration over learning.
· An over-reliance on tutors and/or professor in solving problems and completing tasks.
To be a learning team, the learners need to have the interpersonal skills that will help them become an effective team.
The skills necessary for successful teaming include:

1. consensual decision making skills,
2. dialogue and discussion skills,
3. team maintenance skills,
4. conflict management skills, and
5. team leadership skills.

Without these skills being adequately developed, student learning can be frustrated.

For more details about how to develop these skill: Med Educ Online [serial online] 1997;2,3.