Roleplays and digital learning in pharmacology: Perceptions of medical undergraduates
Gnanaprakasam Dharmalingam, Rose Ninnya, Dhanya Sasidharan Palappallil, Sabeena KizhedathAbstract:
INTRODUCTION:
Role plays and digital learning have become an integral part of the student learning process in competency-based medical education. This study was done to describe the satisfaction about role play and digital learning in pharmacology.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study was done for a period of 3 months in the Department of Pharmacology of a Government Medical College in Central Kerala after Institutional Review Board Approval. A structured and validated questionnaire was administered as a Google Form to Phase 2 Medical Undergraduates. The data were analyzed using Jamovi 2.3.28.
RESULTS:
The majority of participants was females, 98 (71.5%). Role plays were found to be helpful as a teaching-learning method by 119 (86.9%). One hundred twenty-seven (92.7%) opined that role play helped in understanding how to explain drug therapy, duration, and complications to the patients properly, as well as the use of drugs with empathy and ethics. Thirty-eight (27.7%) were not satisfied with script preparation. Digital learning was preferred by 85 (62%); however, only 62 (45.3%) had their own laptops, and they found it difficult to prepare PowerPoint for seminars. The perceived usefulness of digital learning was positive when asked on beneficial effects of PowerPoints shared by peers, 125 (91.2%), computer-assisted learning, 116 (84.7%), better retention as well as memory, 106 (77.4%), and adoption with traditional learning, 127 (92.7%).
CONCLUSION:
Participants were satisfied with the incorporation of role plays and digital learning methods in the acquisition of various competencies in pharmacology.