A survey of problem-based learning and traditional methods of teaching anatomy to 200 level pharmacy students of the University of Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The introduction of the problem-based learning (PBL) may be a very uncomfortable problem for the students originally exposed to the didactic methods of teaching and learning. Our medical and pharmaceutical curriculum is yet to adopt this new method of learning and as such this study looks forward to exposing some aspects of the traditional style as well as introducing to the students the new method using PBL. It is envisaged that in the five-year Pharmacy program, the students would be exposed to and monitored and their academic performance vis-à-vis their professional competencies adjudged using this two styles of teaching anatomy. A total of one hundred and fifty 200 level Pharmacy students were randomly divided into fifteen groups of ten per group during their 2 semester course in Anatomy in the academic year 2007/2008 session. The students were exposed to both the PBL and traditional methods of teaching anatomy alternately. At the end of the period, 150 structured questionnaires were administered to the students and analyzed statistically. Results from this preliminary study does show that the PBL method of teaching Anatomy to Pharmacy students has strong positive impact in the general perception and knowledge build of the students in their 200 level studies despite the obvious challenges of the environment.