Satisfaction and learning level of university students in basic courses; comparison of lecture and group discussion teaching methods

Student learning is one of the most important elements of the evaluation of the helpfulness of the education methods. On the one hand, it is said that the students satisfaction, as well, affects the educational outcome and effectiveness the academic centers. Considering the above issues, the aim of this study was to determine the students’ satisfaction and learning level of basic lessons taught in two teaching methods including group discussion and lecture. This controlled random trial with experimental design was conducted from February 2008 to September 2010 on third-semester students studying physiotherapy (29 students) and speech therapy (15 students) in Rehabilitation Faculty of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Samples were collected by simple sampling method. Students of each group were randomly divided into two control and treatment group. To collect data, knowledge assessment questionnaire was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS 11.5 and descriptive analysis and Mann-Whitney test. In both groups, the students overall satisfaction and level of satisfaction in the areas of participation sense in learning and being interested in studying had a significant increase in small groups compared with lecture group; however, the students satisfaction of both groups in the area of observing the teaching principles between two teaching methods did not have any statistically significant difference (p>0.05). The difference of level of learning in students was not significant between two groups (p>0.05). Teaching using group discussion can increase the student's level of satisfaction of basic lessons teaching.