Concept learning through question framing in Pharmacology

Abstract

Background: Framing questions is a skill that requires expertise, knowledge, guidance and mentoring. It provides structure for deep learning, critical thinking and also promotes interaction and communication. Objective of this study is to analyze the question framing skills of fifth semester medical students on a ‘must know’ area in Pharmacology.Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in the Department of Pharmacology of a Government Medical College in Central Kerala. After briefing about the study, each of the participants was instructed to frame a question which were collected after 15 minutes. The data on different aspects of questions was analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 16.Results: Total 130 students, 79 females and 51 males participated in this study. 7 questions were incomplete and excluded from further analysis. From the rest 123 properly framed questions, 106(86.2%) were correct, 10(8.1%) were partially correct and 7(5.7%) incorrect with regards to the task assigned. In this study knowledge as well as application was tested in 50.4% questions, comprehension in 21.1% and application alone in 22.8%. The knowledge dimension tested was factual in 91(74%) and conceptual in 32(26%). Non-hierarchical classification showed 96(78%) convergent and 27(22%) divergent.Conclusions: In this study majority of the participants framed direct short answer questions which reflects factual knowledge indicating their lower-level cognition. Critical thinking and procurement of higher level cognition can be attained by directing them to frame the right question especially in medical education.

Assimilating and Reproducing Concepts After Pharmacology Lecture - A Questionnaire-Based Study

“…In that study, the majority of the participants framed direct short answer questions which reflected factual knowledge indicating their lower-level cognition. Critical thinking and procurement of higher-level cognition can be attained by directing the students to frame questions that address patient-oriented problems [10]. Despite all this factual knowledge do not suffice and the future doctors need to attain competency to choose the preferred drug and prescribe it.…”

Reliability and validity of short answer questions in Pharmacology

“…It may be open-ended or closed and assess a wider dimension of the Knowledge domain from recall to comprehension, and some application. 3 The versatility of SAQ lies in eliciting simple, short responses to demanding expression of a student's clinical reasoning and decision-making skills. 1 Though deemed to help facilitators in offering remediation, the inherent problems with SAQ lies in the resource intensiveness in construction and marking of written responses, subjectivity, and inter-observer variability in scoring candidates.…”