Student's perception and experience of computer assisted learning as a teaching method in experimental pharmacology

Background: Pressures from animal right organizations like PETA lead to stringent animal handling guidelines by CPCSEA, UGC, MCI which resulted in limitation of animal experiments in postgraduate practical pharmacology. So, this study is designed to know the perceptions and alternative suggestions of pharmacology postgraduate students about animal experiments in their practical curriculum.Methods: 127 pharmacology postgraduate students who participated southern regional conference of IPS -2016 at Belgaum, Karnataka were included in this questionnaire based study. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: Majority 79% students favoured animal experiments even though only 53% of students were conducting animal experiments at their institute. Some of the reasons quoted by the students to favour animal experiments were, provide better understanding of drug effects (66%), interested in preclinical research & drug development (60%), provides hands on experience (56%) etc. Some of the virtual experiments suggested by students which can be used in parallel to animal experiments to reduce animal sacrifice were computer simulated animal experiments (78%), preformed graphs/charts (65%), video films (53%) and so on. Main reasons to like CAL were effects of drug can be clearly visualized (72%), can be repeated (63%), avoids error (57%), saves time (54%) etc.Conclusions: There is a need to incorporate CAL along with continuation of animal experiments in postgraduate practical pharmacology, so that both will compliment, enhance, reinforce the learning from each other and also drastically reduce the number of animals sacrificed.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Guinea pig versus computer mouse in post graduate practical pharmacology

Rodrigues

Kamath

2017

“…Our study findings were endorsed by other similar wellexecuted studies which also have highlighted the usefulness of CAL. 4,[13][14][15] In a study by Tikoo D et al, majority of the students (89%) felt that CAL should become a part of regular experimental pharmacology teaching. 14 A survey by Geetanjali found that EX PHARMA instituted by JIPMER was widely accepted by many other colleges in India.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reassessment of dispensing pharmacy and animal experiments in undergraduate practical pharmacology curriculum: feedback from students

Kamath

Jayanthi

2016

There have been very few studies that have tried to define the relevance of these experiments and the attitude of the ABSTRACT Background: Dispensing pharmacy exercises and animal experiments are still being taught in medical colleges even though they are not relevant for clinical practice. One has to keep pace with ever changing needs of the students and changing trends. So this study is designed to know the perceptions and alternative suggestions of MBBS students regarding dispensing pharmacy and animal experiments and use them to improve teaching. Methods: 177 MBBS students studying at Bangalore medical college who have completed their university examination in pharmacology subject were included in this questionnaire based study. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Majority of the students disfavoured dispensing pharmacy (82%) and animal experiments (73%) in undergraduate practical pharmacology. 78% of the students preferred computer assisted learning (CAL) as an alternative to animal experiments. Some of the clinical pharmacology exercises favoured by students, as an alternative to dispensing pharmacy were, drug station (clinical station) with real cases in hospital (88%), module on various drug formulations (74%), module on pharmacovigilance (74%), problem based exercises (73%), drug administration procedures (68%), drug dosage calculations (68%), pharmacoeconomic exercises (66%), prescription writing and criticism of prescription (62%), short term research project (44%) and so on. Conclusions: Computer assisted learning seems to be a better alternative to animal experiments. In the changing scenario, teaching clinical pharmacology should be focused rather than teaching dispensing pharmacy, which is obsolete.

“…The role of novel teaching methods such as CAL has been proved to be encouraging as demonstrated in several studies conducted in the past. 11 Studies have shown that CAL is favourably accepted by the medical students in the curriculum and they are acquainted with computers since school level. 8,9 CAL helps to achieve a better theoretical understanding of animal experiments owing to the fact that simulations mimic the real experiments done in the laboratory.…”

Section: Advantages Of Calmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computer assisted learning versus conventional teaching: a questionnaire based study

Jain

Sharma

Jain

et al. 2017

INTRODUCTIONPharmacology is an ever evolving subject marked by perpetual updates. The undergraduate curriculum in pharmacology must be suitable, clinically oriented and helpful in making decisions in therapeutics. 1 Undergraduate teaching in pharmacology involves theory and practical sessions. The practical exercises in pharmacology have been a matter of debate since long. The practical classes comprising of animal experiments were regarded to be irrelevant by medical students, teachers and policy makers since the learning goals mainly involve cognitive domain rather than psychomotor domain.2,3 Animals have been extensively used in the past to demonstrate the effect of various drugs in experimental pharmacology classes in the laboratory.In fact, most of the drug discoveries have been possible due to research involving animals in the past. 4 However, there has been a gradual decline in live animal experiments in medical colleges in India.5 Animal experiments are tedious and have several practical constraints.6 Availability of animals, maintenance of an animal house and ethical clearance being some of them. Due to multiple limiting factors with the use of animals for academic purpose, the only method available for teachers remains the conventional chalk and board type. But such method is not appreciated for practical sessions since the students are unable to visualize the experiments.Thus, there is a need to develop alternatives to animal experiments. Ethical issues in animal use and rapid emergence of computer technology has resulted in newer ABSTRACT Background: Animal experiments have ethical concerns thus practical sessions mean demonstration classes. Incorporation of novel teaching methods in pharmacology is the need of the hour when there is extensive use of computers among students. The present study was conducted to analyse and compare the knowledge gained by students through traditional demonstration lectures versus Computer assisted learning (CAL) sessions. Methods: This study was done on 112 second professional MBBS students after taking informed consent. They were divided in 2 groups viz. CAL group and Traditional teaching group and were taught experimental pharmacology topics using different teaching methods. The performance of the students in the two groups was then compared based on questionnaire. Student's perception on use of CAL was also assessed. Results: A statistically significant difference in performance was seen among the students in the traditional teaching group and CAL group. In CAL group, the average scores for the Rabbit's eye, Dog's blood pressure, Animals used in Experimental Pharmacology and Screening methods sessions were 9.07, 8.3 and 3.8 respectively while in traditional teaching group the scores were 8.4, 7.8 and 3.4 respectively. Similarly, in frog's heart session, CAL group scored higher (7.14) than traditional group (6.79). 76.8% students strongly agreed that CAL sessions were useful and 100% students strongly agreed that traditional lectures are difficult to retain. Conclusi...