The Effects of Standing Tutorials on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Among Undergraduate Students

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Problem-based learning (PBL) is an education model utilized by Maastricht University and many other universities worldwide. PBL occurs in small, collaborative tutorials, under the facilitation of a tutor. This study explores the effects of standing tutorials, compared against sitting tutorials, on PBL among undergraduate students. A quantitative approach will be taken to objectively measure students' learning, and a qualitative approach will be taken to obtain a deeper understanding of the processes of learning. It is hypothesized that students in the standing tutorials will be able to recall more academic concepts and link the concepts better than students in the sitting tutorials (H1). Audio-recording of the tutorials will be used to measure the discussions within the tutorials. The transcriptions obtained from the recording will be studied through text analysis. It is hypothesized that students in the standing tutorials will produce more discussions, and therefore a higher word count (H2). It is also hypothesized that the students in the standing tutorials will use more word categories that are conducive to the discussion and learning process (H3). Through the qualitative approach, the content of the transcriptions will be analysed through a thematic analysis. It is hypothesized that the students in the standing tutorials will produce more learning-oriented interactions (H4). Two additional factors that would be measured are subsequent physical activity and academic achievement. ActivPAL accelerometers will be used to measure the students' daily activity, to find out if the students' daily activities are affected by the standing tutorials, for example, students may sit more as a result of fatigue from the standing tutorials, or conversely transfer the active behaviour from the standing tutorials to other activities outside the tutorial group.It is hypothesized that standing tutorials do not affect the students' subsequent physical activity, and therefore there will be no significant differences of daily activity between students in the sitting and standing tutorials (H5). With regards to academic achievement, it is hypothesized that the students in the standing tutorials will have higher academic achievements after the course compared to the students in the sitting tutorials (H6).

Official Title
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The Effects of Standing Tutorials on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Among Undergraduate Students

Conditions
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Problem-Based Learning

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Standing during Concept Test
* Behavioral: Standing during regular tutorial session
* Behavioral: Standing during Concept Test and regular tutorial session


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Matriculated undergraduate students of Maastricht University Students who have given their consent to participate in this study. The course subject is well-established and mandatory for all students within the specific bachelor's programme. A well-established course will be chosen so that clear scoring is possible on the concept tests (explained in the Materials and Analysis sections) that will be administered to the students. The course should be mandatory for all students within the bachelor's programme so as to reduce the selection bias that may otherwise occur if we decide to select tutorial groups that only specific groups of students signed up for. An example of a well-established and mandatory course for students in the Biomedical Sciences bachelor's programme at Maastricht University would include 'Brain, behaviour and movement, 'Human genetics, reproduction and prenatal development' and so on. The course coordinators and tutors who are the gatekeepers of the students would have given their permission and cooperation in planning the study into the tutorials. The duration of the course would last at least 10 tutorial classes. The duration of each tutorial is 2 hours. The timing of the tutorial groups will have to be similar to minimize any effects arising due to tests being carried out at different times of the day. The course is taught in English. Exclusion Criteria: For the standing tutorials, those who are suffering from musculoskeletal discomfort or pathologies that may prevent or influence movement Non-matriculated student of Maastricht University Non-matriculated student of the chosen course for the study

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants are assigned to either a sitting or a standing tutorial, where their learning will be measured.
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Sit-Sit<br>The participants will sit during the tutorials, and sit during the concept tests given to measure their learning. | |
| Active Comparator: Sit-Stand<br>The participants will sit during the tutorials. Intervention: Behavioral: Standing during Concept Test will be administered | Behavioral: Standing during Concept Test<br>* The participants will stand with a standing desk at an ergonomically correct height during the administration of the Concept Test.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Stand-Stand<br>The participants will stand during the tutorials, and stand during the concept tests given to measure their learning. Intervention: Behavioral: Standing during Concept Test and regular tutorial session will be administered. | Behavioral: Standing during Concept Test and regular tutorial session<br>* The participants will stand with a standing desk at an ergonomically correct height during the administration of the Concept Test and during their regular tutorial sessions.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Stand-Sit<br>The participants will stand during the tutorials. Intervention: Behavioral: Standing during regular tutorial session will be administered. However, participants will sit during the concept tests given to measure their learning. | Behavioral: Standing during regular tutorial session<br>* The participants will stand with a standing desk at an ergonomically correct height during their regular tutorial sessions.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Process of Learning | The discussions that are carried out during PBL will be audio-recorded and undergo text and thematic analysis | 1 hour | 
| Outcome of Learning | Concept Tests will be administered where students list the number of concepts they can recall, and draw a concept map. Both the recalled concepts and the map will be scored independently and combined for a final score. | 10 minutes | 
| Academic Achievement | Grades of Final Exam | 2 hours | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change of Subsequent Physical Activity | Participants' subsequent physical activity will be measured for 10 days, using the ActivPAL accelerometer, to measure whether standing tutorials (compared against sitting tutorials) have an affect on the participants' daily life's physical activity. | 7 days | 
| Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) | Participants' overall feelings and emotions are compared between groups in the standing tutorials and sitting tutorials. | 5 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Sitting, Learning, Standing, Problem-Based Learning, Undergraduate