Problem based learning, youth suicide and media's response ... ability

Since 1993, Australian Federal governments have tried many initiatives to address the growing tendency of young Australians to take their own lives. Most recently, these efforts have focused on the pre-employment education and training of professional groups likely to affect the issue in a significant way. This article considers the results of the Youth Suicide National University Curriculum Project, which seeks, in part, to influence the professional education of journalists. Trials of the journalism materials at four Australian universities reveal that the use of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach resulted in a significant increase in students' perceived competence and confidence in their ability to report about suicide in such a way as to avoid causing harm to others. The trials also revealed significant and widespread support among students for a problem-based approach to learning.