Introduction:

Problem based learning (PBL) methods foster enquiry and the logical solution of integrated problems. However, there is a lack of published evidence in terms of student perception of this learning method and its impact on test results in comparison with traditional teaching. The results obtained by students in this module and their satisfaction levels were compared with those obtained using traditional teaching methods.

Subjects and methods:

Correlational descriptive study that considered 65 students who studied the subject ‘Dietetics II' in the 2014 and 2015 cohorts. In order to contrast both teaching methodologies, the results were compared using the grades and the level of satisfaction.

Results:

The final results and level of student's satisfaction were significantly higher with the PBL method. The differences in user satisfaction were related to the transfer of solving skills to other problems and increased motivation levels in the student.

Conclusions:

In a real-world teaching environment, the use of PBL skill acquisition stimulates student motivation and facilitates future use in resolving other problems. This is a result of internal transformations in the ability to process and utilize the given information.

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