Modification of a pharmacokinetics course design to improve student performance

Autor: Gregory J. Hughes, Mary Ann Howland, Gladys M. El-Chaar, Candace Smith, Manouchkathe Cassagnol, Donna Sym, Wenchen Wu
Rok vydání: 2013
Předmět:
Zdroj: American journal of pharmaceutical education. 78(5)
ISSN: 1553-6467
Popis: Objective. To determine if the addition of weekly quizzes or reducing the number of faculty members teaching improved third-year (P3) pharmacy students’ final grades in a clinical pharmacokinetics course. Design. Four sections of a pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics course were divided according to the number of faculty members teaching the course and the administration of weekly quizzes. Two sections were taught by 6 faculty members and 2 were taught by 3 faculty members. Also, 1 section in each group received weekly quizzes, creating a 2-by-2 design. Assessment. The performance of the 201 P3 students enrolled in the course was assessed by comparing the average of 3 examination grades while excluding quiz grades. The mean final grade of classes in which quizzes were not administered was lower than that for classes in which quizzes were administered (p=0.019). The mean final grade in classes taught by 3 faculty members vs 6 faculty members was higher, but not significantly. A positive significant correlation existed between performance in a prerequisite biopharmaceutics class and this advanced class. Conclusion. Making minor modifications to the delivery of a course, such as number of quizzes administered and number of faculty members teaching the course, had a positive impact on student performance. Grades in a prerequisite course may enable earlier identification of students at risk of poor performance in advanced courses.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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