Effectiveness of two different innovative teaching learning methods: a comparative analysis among phase 1 MBBS students

Abstract Background Active learning strategies are increasingly incorporated into competency-based medical education to promote student engagement, collaborative learning, and higher-order cognitive skills. Although both cooperative learning methods have demonstrated educational benefits, evidence comparing different active learning strategies among undergraduate medical students remains limited. This study compared the effectiveness of the jigsaw technique and student-generated flip flashcard learning in improving learning outcomes among Phase I MBBS students. Methods A quasi-experimental comparative study was conducted among phase 1 MBBS students at a teaching medical college in India. Following Institutional Ethics Committee approval, 75 consenting students were enrolled and allocated into two comparable groups using alternate allocation based on previous formative assessment scores. One group ( n = 38; mean previous score: 50.6 ± 11.55) were exposed through the jigsaw technique, while other group ( n = 37; mean previous score: 53.0 ± 9.55) participated in student-generated flip flashcard learning. The competency selected was BI 7.2 (Protein Biosynthesis) from the National Medical Commission competency-based curriculum. Learning outcomes were assessed immediately after the intervention using a validated questionnaire comprising multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, and short-answer questions. Student perceptions were also collected using a structured feedback questionnaire. To ensure educational equity, both groups received the alternate intervention during the subsequent week; however, only the first intervention data were included in the analysis. Group comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U Test following assessment of data normality. Results The two groups were comparable (p value 0.33) in baseline academic performance. Students exposed to the jigsaw technique achieved significantly higher post-test scores than those participating in student-generated flip flashcard learning. The Interquartile range (IQR) of post-test score was 15.0 (12.00-17.75) for the jigsaw group compared with 8 (6.0-13.0) the flip flashcard group, and the difference was statistically highly significant ( p < 0.001). Students also reported greater engagement, peer interaction, and conceptual understanding with the jigsaw technique. Conclusions The jigsaw technique was more effective than student-generated flip flashcard learning in improving immediate learning outcome. The comparatively lower immediate scores observed in our flashcard group may reflect limited opportunity for repeated retrieval within a single session and the instructional design rather than any inherent limitation of flashcard-based learning. Incorporating structured cooperative learning into competency-based undergraduate medical education may enhance both academic performance and collaborative learning skills. Further multicentric studies and evaluating long-term knowledge retention and application are warranted.