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https://doi.org/10.62836/jissh.v3i4.0038
He, J., Yao, L., Xu, J., & Liu, L. (2026). Digital Intelligence Teaching in PBL/Flipped PBL: A Tiered Undergraduate-to-Graduate Approach for Clinically Driven Pathophysiological Education. Journal of Integrated Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(4), 0038. https://doi.org/10.62836/jissh.v3i4.0038
Volume 3, Issue 4, 2026

Digital Intelligence Teaching in PBL/Flipped PBL: A Tiered Undergraduate-to-Graduate Approach for Clinically Driven Pathophysiological Education

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in pathophysiology education is a student-centered teaching approach that enhances students’ understanding and application of pathophysiological knowledge by solving clinical pathophysiology problems. The key challenges include how to integrate pathophysiology PBL teaching into a knowledge graph and implement an undergraduate-to-graduate tiered curriculum system, achieving a “research-teaching-practice” trinity framework that synergistically enhances students’ scientific literacy and clinical competencies. This study developed a digital intelligence-augmented pathophysiology education framework at Tongji University, integrating knowledge graphs (210 core concepts from 5 textbooks with 383 relationships) with tiered PBL approaches for 150 undergraduates and 140 graduates. The model combines an AI-linked PBL Case Engine (5 four-act clinical cases), Smart Tree Platform (AI-driven Q&A), and Tongxuetang Advanced Course (virtual labs with 1000+ digital slides), implementing flipped PBL where undergraduates analyze AI-assisted cases through structured discussions while graduates create case modules incorporating latest research via medical databases. The framework achieved 95% graduate satisfaction and 60% undergraduate preference for AI-learning, with top exam scores >85/100, effectively bridging basic-clinical medicine through adaptive knowledge mapping–particularly benefiting the 50% non-medical graduates. By having graduates lead flipped PBL development and using competency graphs, it enables clinically-driven mechanism exploration while enhancing scientific literacy and diagnostic competence across all levels.

pathophysiology PBL knowledge graph flipped PBL education

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Supporting Agencies

  1. Funding: This work was supported by grants from the Undergraduate School and Graduate School of Tongji University, and from Shanghai Key Discipline Construction Project (to L.L.).