[Effort to improve advanced problem-based learning tutorial].

To prepare for the introduction of the advanced problem-based learning (PBL) tutorial for higher-grade students under the six-year pharmacy curriculum, a trial of the tutorial was performed in a fourth-grade class under the former four-year curriculum in 2007. A questionnaire survey conducted to identify any problems in performing the tutorial revealed: 1) the number of students in each group was too large; 2) the contents of presentations seemed to overlap due to the limited number of task cases, which forced more than one group to address a particular case; and 3) the time-line from the day of product presentation to that of periodic examination was too short to hold a sufficient group discussion. In 2008, to resolve these problems: 1) the number of groups was increased to reduce the number of students in each group; 2) new task cases were added to decrease the number of groups addressing a particular case; and 3) an adequate time period was arranged between the days of product presentation and periodic examination. The survey conducted this year demonstrated that students' learning environment had been improved by these changes in the method of performing the tutorial, but also revealed new problems such as prolongation of the time required for product presentation and the difficulty levels of task cases. In addition, the usefulness of customer satisfaction (CS) analysis was demonstrated as a result of applying it to the data analysis of evaluation performed on group presentations.