Student perceptions and learning outcome on primary mental ability-based pharmacology learning

Objectives: To test the perceptions and learning outcome of undergraduate medical students on primary mental-ability based pharmacology modules at American Institute of Medicine, Seychelles.

 

Methods: Pharmacology teaching was conducted for 13 weeks to two groups of students in the undergraduate MD program using 2 different methods. Group A (n=56) was taught by the newly designed 9 modules based on Louis Thurstone’s concept of primary mental abilities of spatial-visual and numerical abilities, perceptual speed, and inductive reasoning. Group B (n=50) received the conventional teaching with 4 traditional methods. Student perceptions were tested in both groups. Learning outcome was compared by administering a comprehensive pharmacology examination.

 

Results: Group A taught by the newly designed primary mental ability-based modules recorded higher perception scores as compared to Group B taught by traditional methods. The difference was statistically significant on two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test (p < 0.025) as well as Mann-Whitney test (p < 0.025). Pharmacology examination yielded higher scores for Group A taught by primary mental ability-based modules, with a statistically significant difference on “Wilcoxon Rank Sum” (Mann-Whitney U test) (p < 0.01) and “Unpaired test” (p = 0.0097).

 

Conclusion: Student perceptions and learning outcome was strongly positive for learning modules based on primary mental abilities of spatial-visual and numerical abilities, perceptual speed, and inductive reasoning.