DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i08.047

Pages: 2971-2975

Lectures continue to be an efficient and standardized way to deliver information to large groups of students. It has been well documented that students prefer interactive lectures, based on active learning principles, to didactic teaching in the large group setting. Case-based learning (CBL) is a constructive active learning paradigm, in which learners select and transform information, construct ideas, and make decisions based on their current or past knowledge. By exploring student experiences, expectations and how they use lectures and CBL or combination of both for academic performance, this study was conducted in GMERS Medical College, Valsad. The first year MBBS students which were participants (n = 150) divided equally into three batches A, B and C with each batch containing 50 students. Batch A students were presented with didactic lectures, B batch students were motivated by CBL and C batch students were taught for the same topic by lecture followed by CBL method. All the batches were evaluated by pre and post test. The students’ perception was also studied using a four point Likert scale by questionnaire method. The performance of the students after lectures, CBL and combination of both improved significantly compared to pretest. There is statistically significant improvement in post test scores of students who underwent training for both methods compared to students who underwent single method training. This study indicated that combination method is better and more effective than individual method. Majority of students (97%) agreed for understanding a particular topic, combination of both didactic lectures and CBL sessions were very useful. So we conclude that judicious mixture of didactic lectures and CBL sessions are beneficial as a teaching module in biochemistry and it should be used as a regular method at appropriate places in curriculum of biochemistry.