A small-scale study comparing the impacts of problem-based learning and traditional methods on student satisfaction in the introductory physics course

This paper presents the findings of a small-scale study comparing the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) and traditional methods on student teachers' satisfaction with an introductory physics course. The participants in the study were 25 first-year student teachers taking an introductory physics course. In this study, the pre-test/post-test experimental method with an equivalent control group was used. There was one control (n=12) and one experimental group (n=13). The experimental group received physics instruction in PBL format, whereas the control group received traditional instruction. The data were collected using the Student Satisfaction Scale (SSS). Results indicate that the experimental group was more satisfied than the control group. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved