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PROF-1891
WHAT IS THE STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE?
ABSTRACT... Objective: To determine preferences of medical students for modes of teaching, qualities of a good teacher and assessment
techniques in medical education. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Period:
January 2011. Material & Methods: All students of third and fourth year MBBS classes were included in the study (n=127). A pre-tested
questionnaire was used for data collection. A 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1(strongly disagree) to 7(strongly agree) was used to determine
student’s preferences of teaching styles. The data was recorded using SPSS version 16.0. Descriptive statistics were computed. Results: The
preferred teaching methods for basic science subjects were skills laboratory 88(70%), followed by problem based learning 70(55%) and
interactive lectures 65(51%). The same teaching methods i.e. skills laboratory 101(80%), problem based learning 89(70%) and interactive
lectures 79(62%) were also popular for the teaching of clinical science subjects. The least preferred teaching method for both basic 51(40%)
and clinical 58(46%) sciences was didactic lectures. The desirable quality of a good teacher was reported as teaching skills 111(87%) and the
preferred assessment technique was found to be multiple choice questions 90(71%). Conclusions: Students prefer the student centred
teaching styles as opposed to the traditional approach. Good teaching skill is the most desirable quality of a teacher and most students like to be
assessed by multiple choice questions.
practiced, whereas PBL is adopted to teach basic social sciences (SPSS) version 16. Data were collated
5
sciences such as anatomy . and presented in tabular and graphical form. The
preferences of students for teaching styles and qualities
Teaching is a very difficult task and studies by of a good teacher were analyzed using a 7-point Likert
MacManaway6 and later Gibbs et al7 claim that the Scale.(1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree).
average attention span of a student is approximately 20
minutes8. In this time it is the teacher’s responsibility to RESULTS
impart maximum knowledge, which can be absorbed by A total of 127 medical students participated in the study,
the student9. It has been seen that students’ feedback among which 64 (50%) belonged to 3rd year MBBS and
about their preferred teaching method is a very effective 63(50%) were from 4th year MBBS. Majority of the
technique in increasing students’ interest and respondents were females 82 (65%) and only 45 (35%)
understanding of the subject10. were males. The age category of 20-22 years comprised
of 86(68%) of the respondents, whereas, 18 (14%) and
In order to improve the quality of teaching and make it 23(18%) were in the age categories of 18-20years and
more effective, it is important to know students’ views >22 years respectively. (Table I)
regarding various teaching and evaluation methods
being practiced in their medical schools10. This study was
therefore, undertaken with the aim to determine the
preferences of medical students regarding modes of
teaching, qualities of a good teacher and assessment
techniques in medical education.
The least preferred teaching method identified was innovations, with an increased demand of incorporating
didactic or one-way lecture for both the clinical (46%) and these technologies into educational institutions as well.
basic (40%) science subjects respectively. Respondents Undergraduate medical education isn’t in a complete
were questioned about the desirable qualities of a good state of satisfaction, and this doesn’t only apply to
teacher. The popular choices included good teaching Pakistani medical colleges, but in fact 67 countries
skills (87%) and good communication skills (84%) as is showed concern in a medical education conference in
shown in Fig-1. 198811.
topic at hand17. Where PBL has many advocates it also rather than the didactic approach23,24.
brings alongside a set of issues and problems that
discourage its use. Problem based learning is popular Students were asked in regards to the qualities that
among the basic sciences however; its application in comprise a good teacher, and they preferred teaching
clinical sciences is limited18. skills (87%), followed by communication skills (84%) to
be the greatest assets of a good teacher. The Caribbean
Another recent approach in terms of teaching students identified teaching skills, having knowledge and
methodologies is skills lab. While problem based being approachable as desirable qualities of a good
learning facilitates basic science learning, skill labs teacher21.
18,19
smooth the transition into clinical work . These labs are
designed to give students hands on clinical experience In the medical field students end up being colleagues of
on non human models. In basic science subjects their teachers, and students increasingly want to be dealt
students are taught basic laboratory test skills in in a manner that is more collaborative than classified.
physiology and biochemistry; however in clinical Knowledge is pertinent to teaching the student, and
sciences students are given the chance to enhance and without the teacher having sufficient grasp of their field it
refine their hands on clinical skills through the use of is challenging for the student to learn completely on their
models. This prepares the student for future live patients own23.
and makes the change from basic to clinical sciences
smoother19. The issue that concerns student the most is their grades.
And effective assessment proves helpful in attaining
The least preferred teaching method identified by the good grades. Multiple choice questions, is an effective
students for both the basic science subjects (40%) and means of assessment because not only do they assess
clinical science subjects (46%) included the didactic form the knowledge of the student but they also prove to be
of lecturing. Similar results were highlighted by Fischer et helpful in handling the process of elimination22. Diagnosis
al in their study conducted among third year medical is essentially nothing but a process of elimination.
students in New Jersey20. Private study, formal lecture, Multiple choice questions force future doctors into
role play and student presentations were identified as the differentially diagnosing the answer and prepares them
least preferred modes of teaching by a study conducted for management of cases in the clinical setting. For this
on medical students at the University of West Indies21. reason a great population of student (71%) chose to be
tested using multiple choice questions. A study
It is seen that the most commonly used traditional conducted in Ludhiana by Lata et al, identified a grand
teaching method is the didactic lecture18. The stage held at the end of each system as the popular
10
conventional or traditional approach of teaching is one assessment method for the subject of physiology .
where the teacher is the medium that provides the Whereas, some students prefer a 50-50 balance
student with information and the student is one that between their exam and course work as the ideal
21
accepts all that the teacher presents. Nevertheless assessment technique .
current standards of education and the demand of the
workforce, no longer suffice from the long established CONCLUSIONS
osmosis of information between the student and the The study concludes that the most preferred modes of
teacher. Students now present as active participants of teaching were skills lab, problem based learning and
the learning process22. Many comparisons have been interactive lectures, whereas the least preferred method
evaluated and studied between the didactic or traditional of teaching was didactic lectures. Teaching and
approach to the contemporary problem based learning. communication skills were identified as popular qualities
Results consistently show a better understanding for for a good teacher. Multiple choice questions were
those applying principles of problem based learning selected as the popular assessment technique. It is
recommended that future studies need to be conducted student’s attention span by using Personal Response
on a larger sample. The relevant authorities are Systems. Assessment, Teaching and Learning Journal
2009; 6: 21-5.
requested to keep students’ recommendations in mind
when medical teaching curriculum is being developed. 9. Yanamandram V, Noble G. Student Experiences and
Perceptions of Team-Teaching in a Large
LIMITATIONS Undergraduate Class. JUTLP 2006; 3(1). Available
The study had a few limitations. Results were compiled at:http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol3/iss1/6
from only two classes and from only one medical college, 10. Lata H, Walia L, Gupta V. Student feedback on teaching
so the generalizability is limited. Further studies are and evaluation methodology in physiology. SEAJME
recommended in order to improve the generalizability of 2008; 2:31-7.
the results. Studies can be conducted on different
classes from the five years of medical college. The 11. Dearing R. Summary report: the National Committee of
Inquiry into Higher Education. Norwich: HMSO, 1997.
results compiled can be compared against each other
and from other colleges. Trends should be spotted 12. Johnson HD, Dasgupta N. Traditional versus non-
regarding the shift in preferences as students move from traditional teaching: Perspectives of students in
basic sciences to clinical sciences. introductory statistics classes. J of Stat Educ
Copyright© 14 July, 2012. 2005;13(2).[Online: www.amstat.org/publications/jse
/v13n2/johnson.html]
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Article received on: 21/09/2011 Accepted for Publication: 04/07/2012 Received after proof reading: 08/10/2012