Pharmacy students' learning styles before and after a problem-based learning experience.
OBJECTIVE
To determine learning-style scores of second-year pharmacy students before and after a problem-based learning (PBL) teaching experience and to evaluate the relationships between scores and demographic variables.


METHODS
The Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Style Scale (GRSLSS) was given to pharmacotherapy laboratory students before and after a semester-long problem-based learning class.


RESULTS
Only one of the GRSLSS score variables was reported as "high" ("collaborative") and none were reported as "low." Students' "avoidant" mean score increased and "participant" mean score decreased after completing the PBL experience (p < or = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
While PBL appears to be a teaching style that is conducive to the learning preferences of this cohort of pharmacy students, significant changes in learning styles were noted after completing the PBL experience. These changes may reflect difficulties that occurred in adapting from a didactic teaching style to PBL, and specifically, difficulties in adjusting to participating in a group learning experience. A major limitation was that the teaching style of the facilitator was not measured.
Novak
Suzanne
S
The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, 78712, USA. snovak@mail.utexas.edu
Shah
Sonalee
S
Wilson
James P
JP
Lawson
Kenneth A
KA
Salzman
Robert D
RD
D004521:Educational Measurement; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007858:Learning; D011340:Problem Solving; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires