Background: Problem-based learning is a student-centered strategy that promotes active, constructive, and collaborative learning. Inline, concept mapping is an instructional activity used to organize and visualize the ideas of learners. Problem-based learning and concept mapping are based on the same learning principles. This study was designed to explore the students' perceptions towards using concept mapping in Problem-Based Learning tutorials.
Subjects & Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted on a conventional sample of 421 first-year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University. Data were collected using an anonymous self-reported questionnaire and focus group discussions.
Results: The perception questionnaire found that over 54.4% of students expressed satisfaction with the overall experience of using concept mapping in Problem-Based Learning. The highest level of agreement (69.1%) was regarding promoting teamwork. Additionally, more than 65% of students agreed that this method promoted critical thinking skills and helped them understand the original written problem. Similarly, students who participated in the focus groups argued some benefits of using concept mapping in Problem-Based Learning, such as collaboration, clinical reasoning, integration, and retention of knowledge. In contrast, they acknowledged some challenges, such as time constraints, the complexity of the activity, which needs practice, non-flexibility of paper concept maps, and tutor guidance.
Conclusion: The students perceived using concept mapping in Problem-based learning positively, with agreement on promoting teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving. In contrast, students reported some challenges related to the concept mapping activity or the group.