Impact of Abbreviated Lecture with Interactive Mini-cases vs Traditional Lecture on Student Performance in the Large Classroom

Abstract

Objective. To compare the impact of 2 different teaching and learning methods on student mastery of learning objectives in a pharmacotherapy module in the large classroom setting. Design. Two teaching and learning methods were implemented and compared in a required pharmacotherapy module for 2 years. The first year, multiple interactive mini-cases with inclass individual assessment and an abbreviated lecture were used to teach osteoarthritis; a traditional lecture with 1 inclass case discussion was used to teach gout. In the second year, the same topics were used but the methods were flipped. Student performance on pre/post individual readiness assessment tests (iRATs), case questions, and subsequent examinations were compared each year by the teaching and learning method and then between years by topic for each method. Students also voluntarily completed a 20-item evaluation of the teaching and learning methods. Assessment. Postpresentation iRATs were significantly higher than prepresentation iRATs for each topic each year with the interactive mini-cases; there was no significant difference in iRATs before and after traditional lecture. For osteoarthritis, postpresentation iRATs after interactive mini-cases in year 1 were significantly higher than postpresentation iRATs after traditional lecture in year 2; the difference in iRATs for gout per learning method was not significant. The difference between examination performance for osteoarthritis and gout was not significant when the teaching and learning methods were compared. On the student evaluations, 2 items were significant both years when answers were compared by teaching and learning method. Each year, students ranked their class participation higher with interactive cases than with traditional lecture, but both years they reported enjoying the traditional lecture format more. Conclusion. Multiple interactive mini-cases with an abbreviated lecture improved immediate mastery of learning objectives compared to a traditional lecture format, regardless of therapeutic topic, but did not improve student performance on subsequent examinations.

Students’ Attitudes, Academic Performance and Preferences for Content Delivery in a Very Large Self-Care Course Redesign

“…Another reason for re-evaluation of content delivery was expanding class size. After reviewing the literature on large classroom instruction and successes in converting lecture to small group format, 18,[32][33][34] we felt the need for consistency in topic delivery would be served well by dividing the very large class into two sections. The restructured self-care course remained a required 3-credit course in the third-year (PY3) year of the curriculum and intended to prepare students to handle routine questions in clinical practice experiences and future practice.…”

Evaluation of Teaching Strategies on Peripheral Venipuncture Used with University Students

“…The results showed that after each proposal, the group using the online mode obtained better performance in an evaluation containing 20 items in the theme of pharmacotherapy [10].…”

“…Dialogic lectures, besides promoting the exchange of information between educators and students, represent the first step to facilitate the assimilation of knowledge and to convey the reality of the student towards meaningful content [9][10][11].…”

Innovative Approaches to Teaching Dyslipidemia Management in a Required Pharmacy Therapeutics Sequence

“…Extensive literature in recent years has guided educators away from a traditional didactic lecture method and into the use of more innovative approaches to present complicated content. 14,[16][17][18][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] The ability to transition from rote memorization to application in the clinical setting can be enhanced by faculty modeling and increased student engagement. In redesigning the dyslipidemia module, the authors attempted to demonstrate how the didactic content could be applied in multiple situations that the students will encounter in the course of their careers, specifically: interactions with other health care professionals (panel discussion in PP466); determining appropriate treatment for a specific patient (Hour 4 of PP466 and Part 1 of PP468); evaluating literature for application to a patient case (Hour 3 of PP466 and Part 1 of PP468); reporting adverse events to appropriate entities (Part 2 of PP468); and working in teams to develop a drug therapy plan (Hour 4 of PP466 and all of PP468).…”