Transformation in economic studies via problem-based learning: facing fears to acquire professional skills
Spanish Journal of Finance and Accounting / Revista Española de Financiación y Contabilidad, 50(3), 359–380.
Abstract
Over the last 40 years, the learning process in university studies has
gradually shifted from a teacher-centered approach to a studentcentered
approach. Economic and Business studies are a suitable
sector for active teaching-methodologies such as Problem-Based
Learning (PBL) and it is becoming popular in business programmes.
Nevertheless, they cause students stress. The aim of this work is to
study the fears that PBL produces in students and the perception
whether it is worthwhile to overcome them in view of their professional
development. It is applied to a Faculty of Economics and
Business in order to detect the main factors that influence the success
of PBL. One of the conclusions is that the main cause that hinders PBL
materialization is the difficulty that students find in making their
opinions known in the classroom. So, it is necessary to offer teachers
educational programs for learning emotional methods to face those
fears to successfully develop PBL among students.