Sajeevan K. C, Jaya Jose
BACKGROUND Interactive lecture seems to be an important and feasible teaching method to increase the effect of learning in medical education. Interactive lectures are teaching learning methods in which students are involved and stimulated by teacher student interaction. Self-directed learning is a process in which individuals take initiative and responsibility for their own learning. Various methods can be used to utilize self-directed learning hours like assignments, problem-based learning or projects. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was performed from April 2016 to September 2016 among first year medical students in Government Medical College, Idukki. All fifty first year MBBS students of 2015 batch were involved in the study. Three topics of haeme metabolism were taught by interactive lectures and rest of the three topics of haeme metabolism were taught by self-directed learning. Post-test questionnaire with ten multiple questions were given to students after every interactive and self-directed learning. A feedback for assessing perceptions and preferences was obtained from the students after all the sessions. A theory examination having short answer questions were conducted after one month. RESULTS The knowledge gained in the post tests by self-directed learning is more and statistically significant (p 0.038). The knowledge gained by both methods in the theory examinations after one month was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Self-directed learning can be considered as alternate teaching methods in acquiring knowledge in the medical curriculum.
