Impact of PowerPoint Presentation on the Academic Performance of Medical Students of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria

Abstract

Context: Teaching of medical students in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) has been by conventional lecture methods. However, in other parts of the world, there has been a shift toward the use of PowerPoint and other computer-aided instructions (CAI). The conventional lecture method is said to encourage rote learning, whereas CAI is considered to improve students' performance as information is presented in the form of reality. This study was conducted to determine the effect of PowerPoint presentation of lectures on the academic performance of students at ABU Zaria. Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of PowerPoint presentation of lectures on the academic performance of 400 level medical students of ABU Zaria. Materials and Methods: It was a quasi-experimental technique, divided students into control (67) and experimental (67) groups. Pre- and post-test were conducted on the complications of blood transfusion. The experimental group was taught with PowerPoint using pictures, diagrams and algorithms, while the control group was taught with white board and marker. The mean pre- and post-test scores were compared using the t-test of significance (P 0.05) and 74.0 versus 80.5 (P < 0.05), respectively. Conclusion: PowerPoint presentation significantly improves the academic performance of medical students more than conventional lecture method. It is recommended that medical tutors should be encouraged to use PowerPoint in delivering lectures to students.