Integrating Group-Learning for First-Year Pharmacy Immunology Course to Enhance Students Understanding and Comprehension

Abstract

This research hypothesizes that integrating group-learning oriented multiple-choice study guides for first-year pharmacy immunology course will enhance students learning, understanding and comprehension of complicated material. Immunology questions (300 MCQs) were selected based on the criteria of lectures topics, difficulty level and meeting the specific objectives for every lecture that was presented to students and covered in this exam. Study guide was uploaded to Moodle three weeks before the examination and students were given a free access to it with the ability to download and print it. The survey was taken at the end of examination to assess the benefit of study guide to students. Likert-type Ordinary Scale data analysis was used to determine if hypothesis was supported and study endpoints were met. Primary endpoint was to determine the effectiveness of utilizing the study guide in student learning. Secondary endpoint was to determine if students prefer to study in learning groups and what resources were most commonly utilized to find answers to questions. Our studies found that the majority of the students 69% indicated study guide was very beneficial to them and helped to make their study more focused and practicing questions helped them to understand complicated immunology concepts better. Moreover, 65% of the students agreed or strongly agreed that study guide helped them not only to prepare to examination but also to improve the overall exam score. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that group-based learning approach utilizing a multiple-choice study guide was very beneficial to a first-year pharmacy immunology course and positively supplemented materials being covered in a classroom lecture setting.