Are fishbowl activities effective for teaching pharmacotherapy and developing postformal thought in pharmacy students? A pilot study

Factors associated with pharmacotherapy course learning achievements in Thai pharmacy students

INTRODUCTION

The doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program is designed for direct patient care experiences. To prepare pharmacy students to have adequate clinical knowledge and skills, pharmacotherapy is a vital course. Due to the difficulties of courses, several students had unsuccessful learning achievements and insufficient clinical skills. The objective was to explore factors associated with pharmacotherapy course learning achievements in pharmacy students.

METHODS

A cross sectional survey was designed and undertaken in 2020. Pharmacy students who enrolled at least one pharmacotherapy course were included. A 39-item questionnaire was developed and distributed electronically. Content validity and reliability tests (Cronbach's α = 0.928) were performed. Descriptive statistics and univariate and logistic regression were used in this study.

RESULTS

The results indicated that four factors were found to be associated with higher grade point average: participation in a study group (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.97) for Pharmacotherapy I; self-assessed success for Pharmacotherapy II and Advanced Pharmacotherapy (adjusted OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.19-6.01 and adjusted OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.03-11.59, respectively); using social media in the classroom (adjusted OR 12.16, 95% CI 2.03-72.72); and motivation by advisors (adjusted OR 640.74, 95% CI 2.03-201,675.55) for Pharmacotherapy III. Moreover, reviewing material after class (adjusted OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.71) and using social media in the classroom (adjusted OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.01-4.07) revealed the association with cumulative grade point average.

CONCLUSIONS

There were various factors associated with pharmacotherapy learning achievements. These included factors from learners, instructors, and environment.

Comparison of Class Room Lectures with Fishbowl-Snowball Activity for Dental Undergraduate Students: An Observational Study

Background Traditional classroom lectures have been the backbone of the education system for a long time although this method is most effective but it may not always permit active engagement with the matter and learn it. In contrast, active teaching formats such as fishbowl and snowball techniques allow students to participate in the task of attaining knowledge by shifting the target from preceptor to student, thereby allowing a better understanding of the concepts.

Methodology A total of 80 final-year undergraduate dental students were included in this study. Each student was informed regarding study design and protocol. A lecture on the principles of Pediatric Endodontics was delivered to the students in small groups using the routine virtual method, following which a pre-test activity questionnaire and formal thinking questionnaire were given to the students for scoring. Following this, the class of 80 was divided into smaller groups of four each and the Fishbowl–snowball activity was performed. A post-test activity questionnaire and formal thinking questionnaire were given once again to the students for scoring. The mean pre and post-test scores were statistically analyzed using paired t-test by statistical software SPSS version 20. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results The overall mean difference between pre and post-test activity and formal thinking scores was seen to be statistically significant (p < 0.001).

Conclusion It was seen that a combination of fishbowl and snowball method of teaching led to more satisfactory results as compared with the routine classroom teaching method.

Digital teaching tools in sports medicine: A randomized control trial comparing the effectiveness of virtual seminar and virtual fishbowl teaching method in medical students

Background

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for online courses has increased enormously. Therefore, finding new methods to improve medical education is imperative.

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the self-reports of the individual student-centered virtual teaching techniques (seminar versus fishbowl) in a group of medical students.

Methods

During the second semester of 2020, students in the clinical phase of the study (n = 144) participated in the optional subject of Sports Medicine. The students were divided into 2 groups. One group (n = 72) received the knowledge transfer in the form of a virtual seminar, the other group (n = 72) in the form of a virtual fishbowl.

Results

Virtual seminar and virtual fishbowl students gave insights into these teaching techniques. Most of the students from the virtual fishbowl group believed that the virtual fishbowl format allowed them to be more actively involved in learning. The mean quiz scores were statistically higher for students in the virtual fishbowl group than students in the virtual seminar group (p < 0. 001).

Conclusion

This study concluded that virtual seminars and virtual fishbowl formats could be served as structured learning and teaching formats. At the same time, the virtual fishbowl format can promote an active exchange of knowledge from students’ perspectives.

Impact of an aging simulation workshop with different debrief methods on the development of empathy in pharmacy undergraduates

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate a workshop's impact on empathy development, compare potential differences in effects among different workshop debrief methods, and identify if any demographic factors predict empathy development.

METHODS

Participants were first randomly divided to receive either a didactic lecture, a jigsaw approach, or a fishbowl approach for the debrief method. In their respective arms, participants experienced simulation stations followed by their assigned debrief. Of 167 year-two National University of Singapore pharmacy undergraduates, 130 participated in the study and completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions Student (JSE-HPS) version before and after the workshop.

RESULTS

The JSE-HPS scores were significantly increased post-workshop; however, no significant differences in pre-post workshop score changes were observed among the three approaches. Overall, no demographic factor was identified to have significantly influenced empathy development.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated that the simulation workshop developed empathy among pharmacy students regardless of the debrief method employed within the workshop. Future work would be necessary to assess if there are long-term impacts of different debrief methods on empathy development.