Facilitation in problem-based learning: Experiencing the locus of control

Reviews of PBL show that teaching becomes facilitation and facilitation demands a shift from teacher-centred to student-centred instruction. The success of facilitation of PBL is dependent on the lecturers’ ability to make the shift from traditionalist to a student-centred approach. This transition may be difficult if changes are perceived to be too great in relation to lecturers’ existing practices.

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of facilitators as well as those of their students in PBL undergraduate programme in nursing schools of four universities in South Africa.

Using a non-experimental, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design, twelve (12) focus-group interviews (FGI) were conducted. Data provided evidence that the control of teaching and learning which facilitators brought with them and were unable to relinquish, became a problem for the students. These traditionally trained facilitators experienced difficulties in terms of allowing the students to take charge of their own learning and function in a self-directed manner.