Evaluation of online active learning strategies in first year medical students

Background Didactic lectures form a large part of the teaching-learning process in medical education. To impart competency-based medical education (CBME) in the Covid-19 pandemic there was a shift to online learning. This pedagogical change would likely impact the efficacy of student learning outcomes. Several studies have shown that learning outcomes and knowledge retention increase considerably when lectures are interactive. However, the efficacy of online teaching with active learning strategies has not been studied. Methods At the Department of Biochemistry, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, we did this study with 203 first year MBBS students. Five sessions were conducted on the topic of 'Enzymology' with appropriate active learning methods. Each lecture session was preceded and followed by a test, which included multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and brief note questions (BNQs). Feedback of students, was recorded on the 5-point Likert scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Results The majority of students felt that answering questions in the pre-test required substantial effort compared to the post-test. The case scenarios included in the pre-test had a positive impact on the curiosity of students. The activities as part of self-directed learning were interesting, and enhanced understanding and retention. They felt lectures without pre-and post-tests were less efficacious and thus should be continued in all the classes. Conclusion Online lectures without pre-and post-test model were less efficacious. Online teaching, coupled with active learning increased interest and the understanding capacity of students.