Problem-Based and Lecture-Based Methods Compared: The Mediating Role of Perceptual Control and Value Cognition

It is necessary to clarify factors affecting student emotions as they play an important role in their learning. Among such factors teaching method looms large, and given the variety of methods used, a comparison of these methods in terms of their relation to things like perceptual control and value cognition, can lead to a better choice in regards to helping the students learn better. To this end, four available classes of students in education at Farhangiyaan University in Yazd were divided into two groups one of which was taught using the common lecturing method while with the other the problem-based method was used for 16 weeks. Collected data through three measures on emotions, control, and valuing were analyzed using a structural modeling approach. Results show that the problem-based method affects perceptual control and value cognition much better than the other method. Furthermore the mediating role of these factors was confirmed. Hence, the problem-based method is suggested as a more effective teaching method.