An evaluation of student response to changes in pharmacology teaching and delivery at an Egyptian School of Pharmacy

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate changes in student learning patterns and opinions following curricular and delivery changes to the pharmacology course at Suez Canal University (SCU).
A structured questionnaire was administered to final year students, including elements from a previous baseline
questionnaire. Students still valued the traditional teaching methods. Their preference for using lecture handouts or their own notes for their learning was undiminished. However, the general increase in students’ use of alternative learning resources reflected an increase in self-directed learning. Lectures were perceived to be the least demanding mode of learning. Newer practical classes provided a stimulating, interactive method to re-enforce lecture material. A large majority of students found computer-assisted learning (CAL), overall, to be a useful additional mode of learning and was beginning to be seen by many students as a viable alternative method of learning. There were lessons to be learned for future curriculum development including evidence that students are adopting a more self-directed approach to their learning.