Forouzan Rezapur-Shahkolai, Elham Gheysvandi, Leili Tapak, Iman Dianat, Akram Karimi-Shahanjarini, Rashid Heidarimoghadam
Risk factors for low back pain among elementary school students in western Iran using penalized logistic regression
Epidemiology and health
pubmed eric psyclit database search supplemented manual search electronic archives following journals academic medicine medical education teaching learning medicine journal dental education european journal dental education articles retrieved reference lists selected papers review covered period 19762008 studies eligible presented original research using pbl research settings compared another educational method whole curriculum level single intervention review included randomised controlled trials rcts comparative studies qualitative quantitative designs eligible three dental educators selected studies clear predefined criteria studies showed considerable heterogeneity study designs characteristics outcome variables results descriptive review data presented sixtynine studies initially identified authors excluded 17 could obtain full texts thirteen studies excluded used purely qualitative data remaining 39 studies six rcts 33 comparative studies rcts gave little information curriculum design used markedly different outcome measurements including test scores personal characteristics subjective approaches learning experiences overall difference student performances integrated pbl curriculum significant difference favour two compared conventional curriculum modest advantage pbl noted relational skills humanistic attitudes diagnostic accuracy test scores appear influenced use pbl though pbl seems good effect several competencies graduation significant effects observed lifelong learning attitudes comparative studies whole showed benefit using pbl example critical reasoning problem solving abilities creativity evidence exists single pbl intervention traditional curriculum effective learning tool though test results appear affected