Block-based teaching method based on cybernetics: A trial with 115 Chinese undergraduate medical students

Abstract

Background: The number of medical undergraduate students in Chinese college classes ranges from dozens to over 100. As a result, the interaction between teacher and students is difficult to conduct. Student attendance and participation need to be improved. Methods: Two classes of fourth-year undergraduate medical students, with each class comprising 115 students, participated in the study. One class was the trial group taught by the block-based teaching method based on cybernetics. This study was conducted with three of the courses in the Introduction to Oncology. The course of the trial group included several blocks. Each block had a test paper, which was answered immediately by students in class using the Internet. The teacher received feedback from the students when the correct rate of response was less than 90%. The teacher adjusted the teaching in the following blocks according to feedback information. The other class was the control group being taught with the traditional lecture-based teaching method. Results: The average number of attendees in the trial group was 104/115 (90.43%) and that in the control group was 83/115 (72.17%) (p=0.0003). The teacher adjusted teaching three times in the radiotherapy course due to the difficulty of knowledge. Feedback and adjustment of the upper body of chemotherapy was once and the lower body of chemotherapy was once due to the students’ attitudes to the class. The average total score of the trial group was 86.06 ± 7.46 and that of the control group was 80.38 ± 6.97 (p=0.041). Questionnaire I showed that the trial group students’ attendance and participation was better than the control group. Questionnaire II showed that the block-based teaching method based on cybernetics was approved by the students. Conclusions: The block-based teaching method based on cybernetics had good effects in medical classes with large number of Chinese undergraduates.