DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bcc2fqzmm
title: Interview guide of study conducted on: Identification of the challenges teachers face in teaching small problem-based learning (PBL) groups in the College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

description: Background: Recognizing the challenges that teachers face offers a
 platform for devising innovative teaching strategies, thereby boosting
 teacher performance. This study seeks to pinpoint the obstacles teachers
 encounter while conducting small problem-based learning (PBL) groups and
 to recommend measures that guide educational institutions in determining
 teacher training needs. Furthermore, the study explores the creation of
 interventions to bolster PBL teaching practices. Methods: Utilizing a
 qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were administered,
 prompting participants to contemplate the difficulties of instructing
 small PBL groups. Ten medical educators, purposefully selected based on
 their PBL teaching experience, participated. Verbatim transcripts were
 meticulously analysed using thematic analysis, facilitating code
 production, comparison, and overarching theme generation. Results: The
 data underscored challenges associated with adopting PBL in a traditional
 educational setting, emphasizing the imperative for honed facilitation
 skills, fostering motivation towards PBL, and addressing the ramifications
 of students' conventional learning backgrounds. Notably, the
 accruement of experience over time, the enhanced confidence from managing
 diverse PBL groups, and the importance of knowledge exchange and shared
 experiences emerged as vital for PBL educators' professional growth.
 Conclusions: Actively supporting teachers as they navigate shifts in their
 roles and urging the incorporation and adept application of teaching
 techniques can elevate teacher efficacy. Recommendations include the
 initiation of a teacher development program, the allocation of ample time
 and resources for student participation in PBL activities, the
 introduction of a comprehensive teacher assessment system, and the
 integration of quantitative research methods to further enrich teacher
 practices and professional advancement.
description: The dataset was collected through semi-structured interviews with
 ten faculty members of the School of Medicine at King Faisal University.
 The selection of participants was guided by a maximum variation sampling
 strategy to ensure a broad representation of experiences based on gender
 and years of teaching experience. Each interview was conducted
 individually and lasted approximately 60 minutes, focusing on the
 educators' experiences and perspectives related to teaching in a
 Problem-Based Learning (PBL) environment. After the
 interviews were conducted, each session was recorded and transcribed
 verbatim to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the data. The
 transcripts were then anonymized to protect the identities of the
 participants. Subsequent data processing involved a thematic analysis
 where the transcripts were carefully reviewed to identify and categorize
 common themes and variations in the responses. This qualitative analysis
 was facilitated by the use of coding software, which helped to
 systematically organize and analyze the data, ensuring a comprehensive
 understanding of the diverse instructional experiences among the
 faculty.
description: # Interview guide of study conducted on Identification of the challenges
 teachers face in teaching small problem-based learning (PBL) groups in the
 College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.bcc2fqzmm](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.bcc2fqzmm) ## Description of the data and file structure Filename: Interview_Guide_Main.docx Content: Final set of interview questions organized into thematic sections derived from literature review and piloting. Researchers: Use the guide as a framework for qualitative interviews. Educators and Students: Reference for understanding the development of research tools from literature and pilot studies.