Putting on the show: An ethnographic investigation into experiences of problem-based learning (PBL) in nurse education

Carlin, A., Allen-Collinson, J., Kane, R., Black, S. and Pierazzo, J. (2025) Putting on the show: An ethnographic investigation into experiences of problem-based learning (PBL) in nurse education. In: Society for Research into Higher Education, 2-4 December 2025, East Midlands Conference Centre - Nottingham. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

As a student-centred pedagogy, problem-based learning (PBL) has strong potential to develop nurses’ collaborative skills and competences. Here, we draw on ethnographic research undertaken in North America and the United Kingdom (UK), to investigate experiences of PBL in nurse education programmes. Pre-registration nursing students and facilitators participated in a total of 33 online, semi structured interviews, while 56 participants were observed over 65 hours of PBL, both online and in classrooms. Transcripts and fieldnotes were analysed via reflexive thematic analyis. Subsequently, we employed Goffman's dramaturgical approach to generate original insights into PBL as a performance. Salient themes were identified in the data, and here we portray key ones relating to the staging of PBL performances: 1) putting on the show; 2) teams at work; 3) directing the performance. Findings highlighted how PBL can be a somewhat unpredictable pedagogy, due to reliance on sustained social interaction, and effective performances of novice actors.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Divisions:	School of Social Science
Depositing User:	Alexandra Carlin
Date Deposited:	07 Jan 2026 14:07
Last Modified:	07 Jan 2026 14:53
URI:	https://lbro.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/1285

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