Problem-Based Learning as a Strategy to Enhance Metacognitive Skills in Midwifery Education
Abstract
Introduction: Metacognitive skills are essential for midwifery students as they support critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and lifelong learning. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has been widely used to encourage active and self-directed learning; however, its impact on metacognitive skills among students in vocational midwifery education has not been well established. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the PBL model on the metacognitive skills of midwifery students in a Maternity and Newborn Care course.
Method: A quasi-experimental, two-group post-test-only study was conducted in 2021 Total sampling was used to recruit all 37 eligible second-semester midwifery students, who were randomly allocated by lottery to the PBL group (n = 20) or the discussion group (n = 17). Metacognitive skills were assessed after the intervention using a researcher-developed 30-item questionnaire rated on a five-point Likert scale (possible score range, 30-150; Cronbach’s alpha = 0.940). Group means were compared using an independent-samples t-test in SPSS version 24.0.
Results: The PBL group had a higher mean post-intervention metacognitive-skill score than the discussion group (128 ± 12.1 vs. 112 ± 19.3). The 16-point between-group difference was statistically significant (t (35) = -3.100, p = 0.004).
Conclusion: Problem-Based Learning was associated with significantly higher post-intervention metacognitive-skill scores than discussion-based learning among midwifery students. These findings support the integration of PBL as a student-centered instructional approach for strengthening metacognitive learning in maternity and newborn care education.
Keywords: Problem-based learning, metacognitive skills, midwifery education
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.37905/jmhsj.v5i2.39511
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