Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology (MOJIT)

December 2004
ISSN: 1823-1144

Vol. 1, No. 2, pp 58-66

Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based

Synchronous Collaboration
Fauziah Sulaiman, +Hanafi Atan, +Rozhan M Idrus & *Hisham Dzakiria
School of Science and Technology
Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia
+

School of Distance Education

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
ahanafi@usm.my, rozhan@usm.my
*Faculty of Communication & Modern Languages
Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
hisham@uum.edu.my

Abstract
This article reports the study of student-facilitator and student-student synchronous collaboration in
the Web-based learning environment designed using the constructivist Problem-Based Learning
(PBL) approach. The treatment sample was exposed to the constructivist PBL Web-based learning
environment and involved in the synchronous collaboration as required by the constructivist PBL
principle. A pre and post-treatment tests and questionnaire were administered to the students before
and after the exposure respectively. The analysis of the data revealed that the student-facilitator
collaboration yielded positive educational output and highlighted the importance of the scaffolding
by the facilitator in the learning processes that supported both interaction and self-reflection. It
reduced task complexity, provided motivation and awareness as well as structure in the learning
mechanism. The student-peer collaboration resulted in the enhancement of task performances
through the mutual exploration of learning issues, argumentation and weaving of ideas. Highly
positive responses were recorded from the respondents in their evaluation of learning outcomes, an
indication of the strength of the PBL approach in the enhancement of learning effectiveness and
enjoyment and satisfaction in the process.
INTRODUCTION
The Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a total approach to education and involves a constructivist
approach to learning (Harper-Marinick, 2001). The curriculum consists of carefully designed
problems that demand from the learner the acquisition of critical knowledge, problem-solving
proficiencies, self-directed learning strategies and team participation skills. The learning processes
replicate the commonly used systemic approach to solving problems or meeting challenges that are
encountered in life and career (Barrows & Tamblyn, 1980).
In PBL, the problem presented to the students at the beginning of the learning process was in the
ill-structured format and were neither easily solved nor adhering to a simple formula; did it also not
always result in the correct answers. The problem thus served as the organising centre and the
stimulus for learning and represented the vehicle that developed students creative and high-order
thinking skills. The problem mirrored real-world issues and had to be designed in the context of the
learning that followed. It thus contrasted with the prevalent teaching strategies where a concept was
first presented in the lecture format, then followed by the end-of-chapter problems.
The main characteristics of the PBL approach involves students working collaboratively in small
groups, analysing and brainstorming ideas that could lead to a solution to the problem (Duch et al.,

MOJIT

Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

2001; Friedman & Deek, 2002). In the collaboration, the construction of knowledge and
understanding were through articulation, negotiation and reflections on ideas. Thus the Interactive
Collaborative Learning (ICL) may be defined as learning in a group that involves an instructional
method which encourages students to work within the learning and knowledge-building
communities, exploring each others skills while providing social support and modeling and
observing the contribution of each member on a defined academic task (Jonassen, 1995). In ICL, the
peer relationships play a significant role in the students educational success (Dennen, 2000;
McLouglin & Luca, 2002). When working with peers instead of being alone, anxiety and uncertainty
are reduced as learners find their way through complex or new tasks. In general, the reduction of
anxiety and uncertainty tends to increase the students motivation and satisfaction with the learning
process (Harasim et al., 1997). The ICL pedagogy shifts the focus from the teacher as the contents
expert to the role of a facilitator. The teacher assumes the role of a cognitive and meta-cognitive
coach rather than the knowledge holder and disseminator. The situation is fundamentally different
from the traditional direct-transfer or one-way transmission model in which the instructor is the
only source of knowledge or skills (Edelson et al., 1996).
The emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has led to a tremendous
interest to incorporate the constructivist PBL approach into the Web-based environment (Oliver &
Omari, 1999; Dennen, 2000; Varanelli & Baugher, 2001; Pelletier et al., 2001). The synchronous and
asynchronous communication made available by ICT provides a platform for collaborative teacherlearner and learner-learner discussions and this, combined with the accessibility to the immense
online resources for information, knowledge and data, fits well with the principles of collaboration
and student-centredness of the PBL approach. The collaboration in the Web technology commonly
uses the asynchronous e-mail, Web bulletin board postings or synchronous chat facilities.
There have been a number of studies on the effect of collaboration in Web-based PBL in various
fields and disciplines (Dennen, 2000; Pelletier et al., 2001; Sorensen & Takle, 2001; Song, 2001).
Most studies agree with the importance of scaffolding in the PBL approach so that novices develop
competence. Scaffolding can be achieved when there exist social, cognitive and affective assistance,
on-line resources and peer support. On the other hand, the collaboration among learners encourages
them to develop multiple perspectives regarding their tasks and promotes the articulation of
different and contrasting views, resulting in a rich and robust knowledge base.
The aims of this study are to look at how students perceive the effects of the collaboration in the
PBL approach utilising the Web learning environment of an undergraduate Physics course. This
Web-based learning environment was specially designed based on the Harper-Marinick Model. The
findings of this study will provide insight into the Web-based student-instructor and student-student
collaborative processes in terms of learning effectiveness and satisfaction and enjoyment in the
learning process. It would also provide valuable information and guidelines in terms of the future
designing of PBL approaches in Web-based environments.
THE WEB DESIGN
A Web-based PBL environment was specially designed and developed for the purpose of this
study (http://pppjj.usm.my/fizik/sjh_3/default.html (in Malay)). The design approach was
adapted from Harper-Marinick (2001). This model consisted of the following sequences of
learning:

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Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

Introductory Information
The students were first required to open and browse through the introductory information pages
that provided them with the information and examples regarding the processes of online PBL and
the role they should play to accomplish the learning tasks. The process of online PBL is new to
most of them and much of the resistance to PBL by students comes from the surprise of doing
something unfamiliar and not knowing why the instructor is doing this to them (White, 2001).
It is therefore essential to introduce to the students the importance of PBL, why it is important
for student learning and how it fits in with the instructors teaching philosophy (White, 2001).
Presentation of an ill-structured and real-world problem
The problem serves as the organising center and context of learning. It is ill-structured and
related to real world issues. The ill-structured problem calls forth critical, creative and high-order
thinking and the real world issues appeal to the students desire for resolution/stasis and harmony
and must be generated in the context of learning which follows (IMSA, 2001). Duch (2001)
illustrated that good PBL problems must engage the students interest and motivate them to
probe for deeper understanding of the concept being introduced; they should also be complex
enough to require the cooperation of all members in order to work toward a solution; be openended and contain the content objectives of the course.
Online collaboration
The synchronous chat tool was used and students in a small assigned group of 5-7 students analysed
the problem together. Based on their prior knowledge, they determined the information they already
had and what information they were still required to possess and had to learn to solve the problem.
During this collaboration, they proposed hypotheses to the problem; generated learning issues that
were required to solve it; prioritised the learning issues, organised a plan of action required to tackle
the related learning issues and assigning individuals to undertake defined tasks. Using this
communication tool, the learner actively constructed knowledge by formulating ideas into words
with these ideas built upon the reactions and responses of others (Alvi, 1994). In other words,
learning took place in an active and interactive environment. During the entire collaboration, the
lecturer played the role of facilitation, guiding and monitoring the entire collaborative processes.
Online resources
Each individual student had his own responsibilities to do research on the learning issues that were
assigned to him. In other words, he had to conduct independent studies outside the group. He was
required to resort to the online resources for new information, and on an individual basis, had to
attempt to find a solution, new information and concepts pertaining to the learning issues assigned
to him. The independent study enabled the student to synthesise and construct knowledge to bring
resolution to the problem in a way that met the requirements of the task set forth (Orill, 2002).
The integration of the online resources with PBL involved providing the links in the designed Web
page to the course resources available online. Students had to find and evaluate the broad array of
online resources needed for resolving the learning issues. Such an evaluation provides opportunity
for them to develop the critical thinking in the context of evaluating online resources and promoting
the ability to learn to learn which is the important part of PBL (Watson, 2001).

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Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

Follow-up online collaboration

After the individual students had conducted independent online research on the designated tasks,
the groups then reconvened to continue the online synchronous discussion. In this follow-up
collaboration, each student reported on the research that he had done, identifying the overlapping
issues, reviewing information and reviewing the hypotheses in accordance to the new information
gathered by the group.
Solution to the problem
The processes of online research and follow-up online collaboration can be repeated in a cycle until
the group members are satisfied that they have addressed the learning issues and provided answers
to the problem that was initially posed to them. The group collectively plans for the presentation of
the solution to the problem utilising various online tools made available to it.
METHODOLOGY
The title of the constructed Web-based learning environment was The Black Body Radiation and
the content incorporated into the Web was in accordance to the ZCT 104 Modern Physics course
in the curriculum offered to the first year science students enrolled in the School of Physics,
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). From a total of 460 students registered in the course, 67 students
were randomly selected for the study.
The research was conducted in a controlled experimental setting. The students were first divided
into smaller groups of 20-25 students for each session. They had to be divided into smaller groups
because of the limited number of Internet-linked computers available in the Computer Laboratory.
In each of the sessions, the students were further divided into smaller learning groups comprising 45 students. They studied the problem collectively and underwent the sequence of PBL processes as
described above. The treatment time was one and a half hours and at the end of the treatment, a
questionnaire was administered to the students.
The questionnaire administered was specially designed to elicit the respondents perceptions towards
the effect of the synchronous collaborations that took place during the learning processes. The
questionnaire consisted of 28 items and each item was accompanied by a 4-point Likert scale, with 1
denoting the most disagreeable and 4 denoting the most agreeable. The questionnaire was
categorised under the dimensions of the student-peer collaboration, the student-facilitator
collaboration and the learning evaluation. The Cronbachs alpha reliability coefficient was calculated
for each of the dimensions and a high internal consistency for each of the dimensions was obtained
as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Internal Consistency of the Questionnaire
Dimension

Number
Items
9
8
11

Student-Peer Collaboration
Student-Facilitator Collaboration
Learning Evaluation

61

of Chronbachs alpha
coefficient
0.907
0.914
0.955

MOJIT

Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

The analysis of the data involved extracting the means of each of the items with means of 2.500
representing the equilibrium point. Means greater than 2.500 reflected the degree of the
respondents agreement with the statement put forward while means with values less than 2.500
reflected the degree of the respondents disagreement with the statements put forward to them.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The effects of the synchronous student-facilitator collaborative process in the online PBL
environment are shown in Table 2. In general, all statements registered means higher than 2.500, an
indication of a high degree of agreement among the respondents towards the statements put
forward to them.
Table 2: The Effects of Synchronous Student-facilitator Collaboration
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Statement
Interaction with facilitator established
effective learning
It was easier to learn with the help of
facilitator
Facilitator helped in my learning
Facilitator encouraged my participation
It was easy to contact facilitator
Facilitator responded promptly on my
query
Facilitator provided guidance to the
construction of new knowledge
I experienced quality interaction with
the facilitator in terms of learning

N
67

Mean
3.16

Std
0.67

67

3.18

0.67

67
67
67
67

3.09
3.06
2.96
3.19

0.65
0.78
0.77
0.47

67

3.03

0.65

67

3.31

0.50

The results clearly highlighted the impact of the synchronous collaborative process between the
student and instructor in the learning process. It is evident that the students perceived that they had
gained positive educational output from the collaboration with the facilitator ( x =3.09) and this was
made possible through the quality interaction ( x =3.31) and the professional guidance provided by
the facilitator in the construction of new knowledge ( x =3.03). McCloughlin & Luca (2002)
stressed the importance of scaffolding that provides assistance to a learner from a facilitator who
helps him to perform a task that would normally not be possible to accomplish through independent
and individual work. The scaffolding also motivates the learner, reduces frustration and task
complexity and provides structure.
The results also showed that the facilitator responded promptly to any query put forward by the
students ( x =3.19) and played an effective role in encouraging the participation of the students
within the group discussion ( x =3.06). The students also found that the collaborative learning was
easier with the help and guidance of the facilitator ( x =3.18) and such interaction established
effective learning ( x =3.16). Whittle et al., (2000) reported that synchronous online collaboration
with the facilitator provides opportunity for prompt feedback and stimulates a flow of dialogue and
online debates. Such collaboration also supports synchronous peer collaboration and group
dynamics as well as establishes a sense of community in a group. All these make learning realistic
and relevant and allow the students to take control of their learning (Whittle et al., 2000).

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Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

The effects of student-peer collaboration in terms of the educational processes are shown in Table
3. Again, as in Table 2, most statements registered mean values greater than 2.500, indicating a high
degree of agreement among the students towards the statements put forward to them.
Table 3: The Effects of Synchronous Student-peer Collaboration
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Statement
Interacting with other students helped
me greatly in my learning
I had a chance to share knowledge with
other students
I had a chance to cooperate with other
students
Learning by interacting with other
students enhanced my confidence
I experienced quality interaction with
the other students in terms of learning
The interaction enhanced my
communication skills
The interaction enhanced my
confidence to raise my own ideas
The Interaction enabled me to value
the opinion of other students
I managed to link up the different
ideas raised in the interaction

N
67

Mean
3.03

Std
0.74

67

3.10

0.70

67

3.21

0.69

67

3.18

0.63

67

3.16

0.73

67

3.21

0.67

67

3.21

0.62

67

3.21

0.62

67

3.39

0.58

In terms of the educational output, the student-peer synchronous collaboration in the Web-based
PBL had resulted in a positive learning outcome ( x =3.03) through the link-up of different ideas
raised in the discussion ( x =3.21), the sharing of knowledge ( x =3.10) among the collaborators as
well as the existence of quality interaction in the discussion ( x =3.16). Hiltz et al., (1999) revealed
that the motivation of students participating in an online collaborative assignment tends to increase
and thus, the amount of active participation and the quality of learning also increase. The
collaboration enhances task performances due to the nature of the synchronous environment in
which the participation can reflect on their contribution in more depth and without hesitation (Hiltz
et al., 1999). Hiltz et al., (1999) also found that students engaged in individual online conditions
report lower levels of motivation than those working together in groups online. Putting individuals
online to interact with course materials is not as effective as the interaction existing in the traditional
classroom. However, using collaborative learning approaches make online learning as least as
effective as traditional classroom teaching (Hitlz et al., 1999).
Where the aspect of communication was concerned, it was apparent that the collaboration positively
contributed to the enhancement of the communication skills of the students ( x =3.21); these
students valued the opinion of other students ( x =3.21) and at the same time; they became
confident enough to raise their own ideas ( x =3.21). They also realised the importance of
cooperating with others in the construction of new knowledge ( x =3.21). Whittle et al., (2000)
reported that student-peer collaboration results in the development of communication skills and
critical thinking, leading to the discovery of individual leadership skills.
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Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

Table 4 shows how the students evaluated the learning processes that they experienced. Very high
levels of agreement were recorded and these included the learning effectiveness ( x =3.52), ability to
connect the factual concept ( x =3.49) and enjoyment of learning ( x =3.25). Other related learning
outcomes also achieved high means and these included gaining new knowledge ( x =3.04), learning
factual content ( x =3.06), and understanding the learning materials ( x =3.03). Even though the
results had been analysed through the students perceived responses and neither an actual task
performance analysis nor a relative comparison with other established learning approaches had been
carried out, the results provided some degree of indication of the inherent capability of the Webbased PBL in terms of yielding the many positive aspects of the educational outcomes.
Table 4: The Evaluation of Problem-based Learning
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Statement
The learning was effective
The learning was enjoyable
I was satisfied with the learning
I learnt with ease
This type of learning is suitable for me
I could understand the learning
materials
I could remember the course contents
I could grasp the presented facts
I have gained new knowledge
I could identified the critical issues
My ability to connect factual concepts
has increased

N
67
67
67
67
67
67

Mean
3.07
3.25
3.03
3.09
2.97
3.01

Std
0.66
0.66
0.70
0.62
0.82
0.79

67
67
67
67
67

3.09
3.06
3.13
3.04
3.04

0.73
0.65
0.64
0.71
0.63

As the research was carried out in an experimental setting, we are of the opinion that the results
cannot be generalised and should be subject to some degree of uncertainty. For instance, the sample
students in this study were those enrolled in a full-time course where social interaction already
existed and was a part of daily life. They had also perhaps been engaged in some kind of group
discussions for other courses they had enrolled within the programme. The prior existence of a
social element would induce the dynamics of interaction resulting in the positive learning outcomes
as seen in the perceived responses. Different perceptive outcomes might emerge if the sample of
students was taken from distance education courses where the students had no complementary
social interaction. Sorensen & Takle (2002) pointed out that the increased quality and quantity in
the electronic dialogue is a function of spontaneity and social element in the interaction. The social
element is an important function that inhibits or incites the evolvement and the dynamics of the
electronic dialogue. It is thus imperative that further studies be carried out using distance education
learners to investigate the effects Web-based collaboration and interactivity have on the learning
process.
SUMMARY
The study revealed that the student-facilitator and student-peer collaboration in the constructivist
PBL approach in the Web-based learning environment resulted in many positive aspects of the
educational outcomes. The synchronous student-facilitator collaboration was perceived to be the
effective pedagogy that could result in the enhancement of the learning quality through the
engagement of group tasks and the scaffolding provided by the facilitator. The student-peer
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Problem-Based Learning: A Study of the Web-Based Synchronous Collaboration

collaboration enabled the students to link up different ideas and to share knowledge and it induced
motivation that contributed to positive learning outcomes. Students also regarded the learning
processes to be effective, motivating and satisfying and all these results reflect the inherent capability
of the constructivist PBL approach in the Web-based environment in yielding positive educational
outcomes.
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