ABSTRACT
Background & Objectives: Problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education can be considered as the most significant innovation in educational tools in the past 35 years. This study was conducted to evaluate the students’ perceptions regarding PBL which will provide inputs to rectify the curriculum. Methods: The study was conducted in two years on two batches of 100 students each. Six PBL exercises on different topics were successively allotted to each batch of students in groups of 15-18. At the end of each year, the students were asked to fill a 21-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale, regarding their perceptions for PBL. The mean/median scores of ≥3 was considered as positive attitude towards PBL Results: For 20 items related to PBL as T-L strategy and its effect on professional attitude, the mean/median scores was observed to be ≥3. Mean score of 2.04 and median score of 2 was found for the item that considered PBL as a waste of time; reinforcing the liking for PBL. Interpretation and Conclusion: PBL empowers students to engage in collaborative learning, improves inter-personal skills, enhances pre-existing knowledge and develops a professional attitude. It is recommended that it should be integrated in future Indian medical curriculum.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Problem-based learning (PBL) is an innovative educational approach in which the students determine what they need to learn. The present study was done to review the pros and cons of PBL, with the aim to introduce reforms in the traditional teaching methodology.Methods: A total of 200 MBBS students participated in the study. Six PBL exercises were allotted to the students and after their completion, they were asked to fill the questionnaire regarding their perceptions about PBL on a 5-point Likert scale, as well as open ended questions to elicit two reasons each for liking and disliking PBL.Results: Regarding the students’ perceptions, the mean/median scores of all the items was found to be ≥ 3, indicating the positive inclination of students towards PBL. The major favourable factors of PBL were the opportunity of group discussion (16%) and better understanding (15.8%). The major drawbacks in PBL were that preparation required more time (20.5%), inadequate discussion (12.8%) and large group size(11.0%) Interpretation and Conclusion: Students generally favour PBL, as it enhances their ability to handle and solve real-life problems; however, few of the challenges are also accompanied with it which should be looked into to improvise it.
ABSTRACT
Background: The World health organization (WHO) defines adolescents as individuals between the ages of 10–19 years and they make up about 20% of the world’s population. Under-nutrition is still highly prevalent among the adolescents of developing countries including India. Aims & Objective: The present study was undertaken to assess the age-sex trends of under nutrition among the adolescent age group school children of 11-18 years age group in District Gautambudh-nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Material and Methods: A Cross-sectional study was carried out in the Government schools in Bhangel, the urban field practice area of Department of Community Medicine. A questionnaire was administered to 392 school students (290 boys and 102 girls) of 11-18 years age group studying in VIth-XIIth standard. All the students were also subjected to measurement of height and weight. Body mass index (BMI) of all students was calculated. The heights and BMI of the students were then compared with the WHO 2007 reference standards. Results: The mean BMI was found to be less as compared to the WHO 2007 reference standards in both the sexes and the difference was found to be statistically significant in almost all age groups. The mean height was found to be less as compared to WHO reference for height in all age groups in both sexes and the difference was statistically significant in almost all age groups. Conclusion: The present study indicates that the nutritional status of the adolescent school children in our country is very poor.