Comparing Problem-Based Learning and Traditional Instruction in High School Economics

Abstract The potential differences in the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) and traditional instructional approaches regarding high school students' attainment of economics concepts and principles and attitude toward learning economics were examined. The authors also considered potential interactions between learning outcomes in PBL and traditional instructional contexts and differences in students' academic ability, entering knowledge of economics, attitude toward economics, negative feelings after failure, preferred level of task difficulty, and behavioral response to failure. No differences between PBL and traditional classes were found regarding unit-specific student learning outcomes, although there was a difference in changes in general economics knowledge measured at the beginning and end of the semester, with the traditional classes learning more.