Comparison Between Different Teaching Methods to Increase Performance of Students in Biochemistry

Abstract

AIM: Medical students during their first year of Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course, find Biochemistry difficult and volatile. In this regard, we studied the feedback from students as well as from teachers about the effectiveness of prevailing teaching aids and methods, so that best teaching aid and method can be adopted to improve their academic performance. METHODS: This study comprises of total 100 students of 1st MBBS course, who have completed the 1st semester of academic year 2012-13 and their 11 teachers. Irrespective of the topic, the students as well as teachers were asked to fill the questionnaires and then grade the teaching aids and methods that were used to teach Biochemistry for the period of 5 months. RESULTS: The results of the study showed that as per the subjective assessment of the lectures concern, students preferred PPT teaching the most. As far as the students’ performance was concerned the impact of traditional Chalk and Talk teaching was more than the lectures using transparency and overhead projector (TOHP) and PowerPoint presentations (PPT). But when supplementing chalkboard with PPT or TOHP, the enhancement of the student’s preference and performance was much better. This fact was true about teacher’s preference also. CONCLUSION: This observation may probably be due to the fact that, inherent deficiency of each teaching aid was compensated by the other. With regard to teaching method, the combination of teaching methods was more effective when compared to didactic lectures.