Introduction
Undergraduate training in pharmacology recently has been reformed with adoptions of new methods of teaching that focus on supportive learning through novel teaching approaches like computer-assisted learning (CAL), integrated teaching, learning by problem-based clinical scenarios.
Materials and methods
This study was done on 125 second-year professional MBBS students after taking their informed consent. They were first given a pretest questionnaire and then divided into two groups, viz., group I and group II based on their performance in pretest. The CAL sessions were used to teach them experimental pharmacology topics. The performance of the students in the two groups in both pre- and posttests was compared. Students’ perception on the use of CAL for delivering experimental pharmacology training was also assessed.
Results
A statistically significant difference in performance was seen among the students in the pre- and posttests in both the groups. Average scores for groups I and II in the pretest were 11.73 and 19.48 respectively. However, in posttest, the average scores for both the groups increased to 18.91 and 24.79 respectively. About 97% students strongly agreed that CAL sessions were interesting and easy to retain. The students’ knowledge about the disadvantages of CAL was sound.
Conclusion
The study concludes that CAL is a promising teaching option for undergraduate practical sessions in pharmacology. It provides a platform for students to develop a near to real idea of actual experimentation and hence bridges the gap in isolated animal experiments and didactic demonstration classes.
How to cite this article
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