Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all
Purpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a well-established method for facilitating the learning of basic science concepts in the context of clinical cases. Relevant evidence is lacking regarding PBL’s effectiveness and acceptability as perceived by students accustomed to classical traditional teach...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute
2013-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jeehp.org/upload/jeehp-10-11.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797707651915710464 |
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| author | Bijli Nanda Shankarappa Manjunatha |
| author_facet | Bijli Nanda Shankarappa Manjunatha |
| author_sort | Bijli Nanda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a well-established method for facilitating the learning of basic science concepts in the context of clinical cases. Relevant evidence is lacking regarding PBL’s effectiveness and acceptability as perceived by students accustomed to classical traditional teaching in India. Hence, this study gathered students’ opinions on PBL versus Traditional teaching methods to generate a foundation for institutional policymaking and ultimately, changes in the policy of regulatory bodies. Methods: A total of 773 first year medical students admitted from 2007-2010 in Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Manipal University, India were asked to respond to a 15-item questionnaire evaluating their preferences for PBL or traditional methods such as lectures after undergoing a systematically conducted PBL session in physiology. Their responses were analyzed with an unpaired t-test. Their comments were also collected. Results: PBL scored significantly higher for most items in the questionnaire for “learning efficiency” and “student-teacher relationship”. The students’ comments highlighted the importance of a trained tutor/facilitator to enhance the learning process. Conclusion: Our students are willing to adapt to the PBL method, although they recognize certain benefits of traditional pedagogy. For learning efficiency and the student-teacher relationship, the students feel that neither method holds an advantage. We recommend that the future medical curriculum in India be a hybrid form of PBL and traditional methods with specific training on the unfamiliar PBL approach for both faculty and students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:10:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4cb269e85e6a40658ab043ffa6aff917 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1975-5937 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:10:33Z |
| publishDate | 2013-10-01 |
| publisher | Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions |
| spelling | doaj.art-4cb269e85e6a40658ab043ffa6aff9172023-09-03T03:04:12ZengKorea Health Personnel Licensing Examination InstituteJournal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions1975-59372013-10-011010.3352/jeehp.2013.10.1188Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit allBijli Nanda0Shankarappa Manjunatha1Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaDepartment of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, IndiaPurpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a well-established method for facilitating the learning of basic science concepts in the context of clinical cases. Relevant evidence is lacking regarding PBL’s effectiveness and acceptability as perceived by students accustomed to classical traditional teaching in India. Hence, this study gathered students’ opinions on PBL versus Traditional teaching methods to generate a foundation for institutional policymaking and ultimately, changes in the policy of regulatory bodies. Methods: A total of 773 first year medical students admitted from 2007-2010 in Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Manipal University, India were asked to respond to a 15-item questionnaire evaluating their preferences for PBL or traditional methods such as lectures after undergoing a systematically conducted PBL session in physiology. Their responses were analyzed with an unpaired t-test. Their comments were also collected. Results: PBL scored significantly higher for most items in the questionnaire for “learning efficiency” and “student-teacher relationship”. The students’ comments highlighted the importance of a trained tutor/facilitator to enhance the learning process. Conclusion: Our students are willing to adapt to the PBL method, although they recognize certain benefits of traditional pedagogy. For learning efficiency and the student-teacher relationship, the students feel that neither method holds an advantage. We recommend that the future medical curriculum in India be a hybrid form of PBL and traditional methods with specific training on the unfamiliar PBL approach for both faculty and students.http://www.jeehp.org/upload/jeehp-10-11.pdfMedical studentsProblem-based learningPerspectivesCurriculumEvaluation |
| spellingShingle | Bijli Nanda Shankarappa Manjunatha Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions Medical students Problem-based learning Perspectives Curriculum Evaluation |
| title | Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all |
| title_full | Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all |
| title_fullStr | Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all |
| title_short | Indian medical students’ perspectives on problem-based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum: One size does not fit all |
| title_sort | indian medical students perspectives on problem based learning experiences in the undergraduate curriculum one size does not fit all |
| topic | Medical students Problem-based learning Perspectives Curriculum Evaluation |
| url | http://www.jeehp.org/upload/jeehp-10-11.pdf |
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