Effectiveness of a Short training in Teaching Methodology for entry level Medical Teachers

Abstract

Background: Teacher education curricula should enable teachers to facilitate learners’ acquiring knowledge, attitudes, behavior and skills that they will need in their profession. Though there are faculty development programmes that are being conducted in India, there are only a few published reports of the same.  Aims & Objectives: To assess the “Effectiveness of a Short training in Teaching Methodology for entry level Medical Teachers.” Settings and Design: A quasi-experimental study with pre-test post-test design and an educational intervention was carried out on 30 consenting Senior Residents at a Medical College in Kochi. Material & Methods: The intervention was eight-hour training in teaching methodology using a curriculum designed by the researcher in consultation with experts. Data analysis was done using SPSS software to compare the pre and post - test scores of the residents. Results: Overall feedback was positive. The participants reported that “they had learned a lot” and were of the view that “the course would help them to put forward better performances” when assigned teaching-learning tasks. The pre-test and post-test scores were compared and significant improvement was found with regard to knowledge, motivation to teach (reflecting attitude change) and practice. Conclusion: A short training in teaching methodology has helped entry level medical teachers to become more effective in their teaching.