Evaluation of in-class and online discussion meetings in a biopharmaceutics problem-based learning class

Abstract Objectives To evaluate faculty-led discussion meetings (with about eight students) conducted face-to-face (in-class) or by synchronous, real-time videoconference (online), in a biopharmaceutics course taught in a facilitated problem-based learning (PBL) format. Methods Three methods were used to compare in-class versus online discussion sessions for two semesters. The first method involved three parameters that measured the quality of interactions between faculty (facilitator) and student ( Fc–St ), participation of students in the discussions ( Par ), and student–student interactions ( St–St ). The second method assessed studentu0027s perceptions of the discussions with surveys. The third method mapped the interactions (a sociogram) between faculty (facilitator) and students in a discussion. Results There were significantly lower scores for Par and St–St ( P Fc–St ( P Conclusion PBL discussion meetings can be held online because of the increased availability and acceptance of the technology, but may lead to reduced interaction and participation. Our findings suggest that synchronous online discussions may require the facilitator to foster and stimulate student participation and student–student interactions in an active manner that may differ from the approach used for in-class discussions.