By: Azman Zakaria
Photo: Noor Azreen Awang
SERDANG: Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researchers have successfully developed MyVetPBL, an e-learning and teaching Problem-Based Learning (PBL) tool for veterinary undergraduate students.
It combines all PBL modules in one package including the Deputy Dean-Academic, course coordinator/administrator’s, facilitator’s and student’s modules.
Leader of the research group, Dr. Wan Mastura Shaik Mohamed Mossadeq said, this was the first ever system or tool that combines every module of PBL under one roof.
Contents of the system include entry forms/survey to be filled out by students prior to the start of each PBL session, case triggers and scenarios presented for the particular case(s) for discussion by each group, the Facts, Ideas, Learning issue and Action (FILA) table/form, and assessment rubrics (developed according to the needs of the course).
Others include reflection forms for students to fill out details regarding their experience while working on the respective cases, exit forms (a survey to be completed by the students to assess their knowledge of a particular case after each PBL session), and statistical analysis to enable the researcher to use the results for the development of new cases and publication.
She said the innovation was designed for year 3 to year 5 of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine core PBL courses.
She said it was designed to allow conduct of paperless PBL session with flexible hours for assessment, tracking of each student’s progress from year 3 until year 5 PBL courses and, ensuring that the feedback exercise from students and facilitators are conducted in private whereby peer evaluation marks can only be viewed by the course coordinator and facilitators.
Dr. Wan Mastura, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine UPM said, the innovation was needed for teaching and learning because the traditional way of conducting a PBL session requires hours of preparation in addition to countless paper-based assessments that might frustrate some practitioners.
While from a lecturer’s perspective, she said that lecturers had to face piles of assessment papers at the end of each PBL session which may be overwhelming and counter-productive and the lack of time in making manual assessments due to other commitments may make the problem worse.
She said MyVetPBL reduces cost, time and energy spent on photocopying, repetition of instructions, logistics problems and lack of manpower to conduct the sessions in line with the increasing number of student intake.
“It is easily accessible anytime, anywhere in UPM. This system can be modified to cater for all disciplines of study taught in the university or according to the different modes of PBL practiced by different institutions,” she said
The innovation won bronze medal at the International University Carnival on E-learning 2016 and silver medal at the International Invention, Innovation and Design 2017.
Apart from Dr Wan Mastura, other group members are Associate Professor Dr Gayathri Thevi Selvarajah, Professor Dr Siti Suri Arshad, Dr Idawaty Ahmad, Dr Hazlina Hamdan, and students Lee Tiong Lay, Lim Ween Hwua, Lim Sze Ying and Ahmed Mirghani. - UPM
