The aim of this study was to obtain insight into the effect of a quality assurance system on the implementation of a PBL teaching strategy in courses in three Hong Kong universities. A total of nine research teams (each consisting of a few PBL-tutors) were involved. Before the implementation of PBL, the tutors attended specific orientation and training sessions on PBL. Twenty-one tutors were randomly selected for interview after the implementation. The results indicate that the quality assurance system within most institutions does affect the implementation of PBL. The reliance on research output and a standardised student feedback questionnaire as indicators of staff performance do have a detrimental effect on the implementation of PBL. On the other hand, resources and class size also have a direct effect on the willingness of academic staff adopt the PBL approach in teaching. Finally, student factors also play an important role in the successful implementation of PBL. To be successful PBL tutors need to be supported by a clear message from the university quality assurance system that this is the way to go forward. Without taking this seriously into consideration, one could predict serious difficulties in promoting PBL in the education sector.

Graduates need to be able to acquire transferable skills so as to enable them gain employment in the treacherous and unpredictable environment of today's world. As educators in the higher education sector, how are we going to engage all students in the deep learning process so that they could resolve problems themselves? This paper delimits the exploration and evaluation of problem-based learning (PBL) and its effects on student learning. In this study, the original pure PBL model is modified and developed into a form that is suitable to both deep and surface students in a Higher Diploma engineering course of Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Tsing Yi). This PBL model started with a problem at the beginning of the term given to a group of students. Then, a variety of teaching and learning modes which included lectures, tutorials, group discussion, and presentation were used to facilitate students to solve the problem. Promising results gathered from summative test and student interview show that this modified PBL model is suitable to students of both learning approaches. This PBL model is worthwhile for further investigation to improve the quality of student learning and problem solving skill to survive in this fast changing society.
[Copyright of Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ascilite) at http://www.ascilite.org.au]

The design of the problems that are used in problem-based learning plays an important part in achieving the intended learning objectives set by teaching staff. To a large extent, the learning issues generated by students during tutorials determine their learning activities and form the framework for the direction of self-directed study. The relevance of these learning issues will drive and stimulate students to become more competent self-directed learners. The work described in this paper explores the match between students' learning issues and the learning objectives that have been set by teaching staff. The findings indicate that students recognize (on average) 79.9% of the learning objectives with a significant improvement as the semester progresses (p < 0.01). There is also evidence to suggest that students move towards independent learning as a result of problem-based learning.
[Copyright of Innovations in Education & Teaching International is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1470329032000103762]