"Problem Based Learning"

[optometristan]

I'll be attending IU this fall. During my interview day, the subject of Indiana's "problem based learning" curriculum came up. Of course it sounded pretty good at the time, but then again, I really don't know much about the difference between a PBL curriculum and the other curriculums offered at various other schools.

I know the courses offered at Indiana seem to differ from other universities; for example, Indiana offers the course "Integrative Optometry" and others like it where ICO offers "Human Anatomy" and other courses more familiar to course titles I take at my undergraduate university.

Is there really that big of difference between the two schools teaching styles? Will I learn all the anatomy taught at ICO's Human Anatomy course in one of IU's classes with a different name? And if it won't, will it matter?

Any info on PBL, IU's courses, or anything on those issues will be greatly appreciated.

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[iowaeyes]

PBL is Integrative Optometry, that is it's official name. Basically this is a case report style class. You are given a very basic description of how a patient might present to your office with the necessary background information. Then you do research related to 5-6 guiding questions. You meet with 8-12 other optometry students and a professor to discuss the case and the guiding questions for about an hour a week. Generally there are four cases that are related to one topic, then you move on to another topic. So you cover about three topics per semester. Currently this is taught Fall and Spring of the 1st year. In your second year, you actually write the cases and guiding questions that the next year's class will use.

As far as other courses, I think the main difference is that our basic sciences classes are kind of grouped together. We have a class called Systemic Approach to Biomedical Sciences (SABS) that you take for three semesters. It covers anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology of all the body systems. It is synchronized so that you are learning about the anatomy and physiology of the GI system at the same time as you are learning about it's pathology and associated pharmacology, and the same for each system.

If you have any further questions, feel free to send me a PM.

 

[optometristan]

Wonderful response! Thank you iowaeyes!

 

[SarahNC]

That sounds the same as PCO. Be careful if they are saying that is "unique" to them.

 

[optometristan]

That sounds the same as PCO. Be careful if they are saying that is "unique" to them.

Nope, as a matter of fact they mentioned PCO as being one of the others that offer it (or the only one, at this point I can't remember). About a year ago in Review of Optometry, they actually had an article about the transition mentioning both schools in it.

If I do remember correctly, my interviewer stated OSU also tried to incorparate a PBL class, but for some reason they had trouble with it and droped it. Is this true? Anyone from OSU know why?