COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DIFFERENT TEACHING METHODOLOGIES USED FOR DEVELOPING BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF DRUG FORMULATIONS IN SECOND YEAR B.A.M.S. STUDENTS

BACKGROUND: Drug formulations are the Ayurvedic medicines which forms an important part of the curriculum of B.A.M.S. These are first introduced to a Second Year B.A.M.S student in Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana subject. It includes right from its ingredients to the preparation method to the indications and contraindications. Now the number of ingredients varies for each formulation and for a student to remember them is a tough part. Thus to discover newer teaching methods to the existing Lecture method was the core objective of this study. It does not endure to underestimate the Traditional teaching method rather to find other collaborative methods whose integration would help in better understanding of these formulations. METHODS: 3 teaching methods, Traditional teaching, Seminar method and Tutorial method were selected. A group of 15 students of Second Year B.A.M.S voluntarily participated and were taught 2 different drug formulations using each of these methods every week. At the end of each session a feedback form was circulated. RESULTS: 36% felt Seminar was excellently well organized.47% felt Tutorial session was excellent in Arousing interest. 57% observed that the Seminar method was excellent in increasing understanding of the topic whereas with 53% giving tutorial excellent in Interactive category. Although 27% felt there was chaos yet 80% felt that equal opportunity was given to all to express their views in Tutorial session. CONCLUSION: There was found to be marginal difference in the results of about 10-15%. It was also noticed that these methods were appreciated and welcomed by the group. And thus we could conclude that each method is special in its own way and if we integrate various methods during teaching separate topics to students it will be better taken and grasped by the students. Some valuable inputs were also received from the students for improvising these methods.