Authors : Haslina Mohd, Norida Muhd Darus, Mohamed Ali Saip, Fauziah Baharom, Nurnasran Puteh, Mohamed Zabidin Husin, Zaharin Marzukiand and Azman Yasin
Abstract: Recently, a shifting from lecture-based teaching methods in for IT undergraduate courses to a more student-centered learning is called as Problem-Based Learning (PBL). A problem-based learning approach is one of the applicable solutions to strengthen IT student capabilities in critical thinking, problem solving, soft skill such as communication, leadership and team-work skills. Educational Institutions can produce students with the ability of critical thinking, creative and innovative through soft skill. This soft skill is crucial in preparing IT students with honorable values which later may contribute to the success of Malaysian Vision 2020 to increase skilled worker with soft skill ability. To date, there is a lack of statistical evidence to show IT student’s perception of IT courses related to PBL characteristics, PBL assessment and PBL practices. Therefore, this study aims to identify the PBL success factors of IT courses. The survey technique was applied in this study. The self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 119 IT students who had experienced in PBL. The results of reliability test showed the Cronbach’s alpha value for the questionnaire is 0.983. The findings from a descriptive analysis of the PBL characteristics, PBL assessment, PBL practices and PBL perception show that the critical success factors of IT courses that highlighted by the respondents with the mean value of 4 are self-assessment (one of the sub-factor of PBL assessment), Roles of facilitator (one of the sub-factor of PBL Characteristics) constructism and group activity (two sub-factors of PBL practices). These findings may contribute the IT educators in improving their PBL implementation for IT courses and also to the PBL researchers in improving the existing PBL models.
Haslina Mohd, Norida Muhd Darus, Mohamed Ali Saip, Fauziah Baharom, Nurnasran Puteh, Mohamed Zabidin Husin, Zaharin Marzukiand and Azman Yasin, 2017. Success Factors of Problem based Learning for IT Courses: Measurements on PBL Characteristics, PBL Assessments and PBL Practices. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 12: 5514-5517.