What’s the problem? A focused ethnography exploring the experiences and social interactions in problem-based learning in nurse education

Carlin, A., Allen-Collinson, J., Kane, R., Black, S. and Pierazzo, J. (2024) What’s the problem? A focused ethnography exploring the experiences and social interactions in problem-based learning in nurse education. In: 9th International Nurse Education Today Conference, 27-30 October 2024, Singapore Expo. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred pedagogy, with rich potential to develop health professionals’ skills with teamworking and collaboration, although the requirement to work in groups can “make or break” the approach. This presentation summarises the findings of a recent focused ethnography that explored PBL, in nurse education, from a microsociological perspective. Data were collected from three University field sites: two in the United Kingdom, and one in North America. To generate novel insights, the study used an interpretivist and constructionist perspective to analyse the social interactions in, and experiences of, PBL seminars. In total 33 participants were interviewed, and 56 participants were observed, totalling 65 hours of PBL observation. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2019) with a sociological, symbolic interactionist (Blumer, 1969) and microsociological (Goffman, 1959; 1968) theoretical lens. Primarily, Goffman’s (1959) principles of dramaturgy were used to generate original insights, and to analyse the PBL seminar as a performance and interaction ritual. Three themes developed: 1) “Mindset evolution” to describe the geography of the performance; 2) “nursing is also a team sport” to highlight the interaction and experiences of working in teams; and 3) “rekindle the discussion” which focuses on the various roles of the facilitator. The study acknowledges the importance of cooperative teamworking to help maintain the PBL performance. The facilitator can act as a confidant(e), mediator, protective agent, specialist and director to support the PBL performance, particularly with groups less familiar with PBL, or less effective in their cooperative efforts. Conversely, when groups were highly functional, the facilitator offered less directive facilitation, analogous to an audience member, watching the PBL. Consequently, increased awareness of these cooperative efforts are valuable for PBL facilitators and nurse educators, as group formation, educational maturity, mitigation of fatigue, loafing and conflict may influence the performance.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Other)
Divisions:	School of Social Science
Depositing User:	Alexandra Carlin
Date Deposited:	07 Jan 2026 14:12
Last Modified:	07 Jan 2026 14:53
URI:	https://lbro.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/1286

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