Perceptions of Allied Health Students about lecture and peer‐assisted learning

Abstract

Background. Students’ perceptions of the educational methodology are valuable for improving the quality of the educational environment. However, there is limited literature on students’ perceptions of lectures and peer-assisted learning (PAL) within the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences. Objectives. To determine the perceptions of allied health students across different study levels regarding the effectiveness of lectures and PAL as educational strategies. Methods. This cross-sectional study involved 213 Allied Health students from levels 200 to 400 at the University of Ghana. Data were collected using an adopted perceptions questionnaire. Perceptions of lectures and PAL were analysed using means and mean percentages. A one-way ANOVA test was performed to compare differences in perceptions among students at various study levels, while the independent sample t-test was used to compare differences in perceptions between male and female students. Results. PAL had the highest mean scores, with a global rating of 4.1 (standard deviation (SD) 0.8) compared with 3.5 (SD 0.8) for lectures (p<0.00). There were no differences in perceptions about lectures and PAL among levels 200 to 400 students. Female students had a more positive perception of PAL, while both male and female students had the same positive perceptions about lectures. Conclusions. Students generally had positive perceptions about lectures and PAL; however, PAL was acknowledged as an alternative that provides students with active educational experiences. PAL may be incorporated into the standard curriculum alongside lectures.