Linköping University Post Print Portraits of PBL: Students' experiences of the characteristics of problem-based learning in physiotherapy, computer engineering and psychology

The present study is part of a comprehensive research project with the general aims of comparing how problem-based learning is realised in three different professional educational programmes. The specific aims of this study are to describe and analyse how students in the three different programmes conceive of the meaning of problem-based learning and how they experience their studies within a problem-based learning programme. The PBL programmes are a Bachelor's programme in Physiotherapy, a Master's programme in Psychology, and a Master's programme in Computer Engineering. Data were analysed qualitatively. The results reveal differences in how the students in the three programmes conceive of their autonomy as learners, cooperation with their counterparts and the authenticity of the learning task. The findings possibly also reflect the taken-for-granted perspectives of knowledge, embedded in the cultures of the professional practices and the scientific disciplines to which the programmes pertain.