Problem-based learning on the problem-solving ability and self-directed learning of undergraduate students

This study examined the effects of problem-based learning on the problem-solving ability and self-directed learning tendency of undergraduate students. A total of 65 undergraduate law students were recruited and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Empirical data showed that the students in the experimental group who received problem-based learning demonstrated significantly stronger performance than those in the control group in problem-solving measurement, particularly in word association, idiom substitution, and situational problem-solving subscales. In addition, the experimental group demonstrated significantly strong performance in efficiency learning, such as on the learning and active learning subscales of self-directed learning. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.