ABSTRACT:

Context: Medical biochemistry explains the molecular mechanisms of diseases. It has many ‘subject components’ like ‘definitions, classifications, structures, pathways, mechanisms and diseases’. To assist the biochemistry teaching learning process, teaching aids are used by teachers. Many studies have been conducted regarding the optimal use of teaching aids and have focussed importance of using teaching aids in combination.

Objective: The study aimed to select best teaching aids for different subject components based on student feedback and to use the information for optimal use of multiple teaching aids in lectures.

Methodology: A study elicited feedback from 82 2nd MBBS students. Questionnaires with a list of different teaching aids like a blackboard (BB), overhead projector (OHP), PowerPoint (PPT), animated videos (AV), three dimensional models and patients and subject components were distributed to all students. They were instructed to tick the single most appropriate teaching aid to be used by teachers to teach the subject components.

Results: Students preferred definitions to be taught using PowerPoint (54%) and classifications by use of blackboard (59%). While the blackboard(93%) was the most preferred for learning of metabolic pathways and cycles, animated videos were preferred for molecular mechanisms (82%). For learning chemical structures and molecular structures, students preferred blackboard (55%) and PowerPoint (38%).For illustration of disease mechanism and signs and symptoms PowerPoint (37%) and patients (48%) were preferred.

Conclusions: Students’ feedback can be used for planning of lectures with combination of teaching aids. It may turn biochemistry to be more easily understood by students.

Keywords: Biochemistry, Students’ feedback, Teaching aids.