Comparison of cooperating active and traditional teaching methods in medicine student satisfaction and learning of Clinical Biochemistry in pharmacy students

Clinical biochemistry is one of the courses which have been arranged for pharmacy students. Its deep learning and understanding could be the foundation for their expertise. According to the problem in deep learning of this lesson and in order to generate more interest among affiliate students, the present study aimed to compare the evaluation of teacher- based method to cooperative active learning method. This study has been conducted as semi-experimental based on 65 pharmacy students in 5th semester, during presenting clinical biochemistry course (2- unit) at Isfahan University in the 2012-2013. Some subjects were thought as teacher based lectures and some of them were presented by student's seminars. Satisfactory score of student of cooperative method was calculated by a questionnaire. Because of more exact comparing this method with traditional method, it was compared the mean of scores of final exam of these student to pharmacy students in 5th semester 2011-2012 that were thought just with traditional method. The average of satisfactory score for students in cooperative method was 64 percent. The questions were categorized in three different categories, namely motivation, learning and cooperation. These three areas were evaluated based on the student's questionnaire and their answers. The average emanated from the effect of this method in motivating students in biochemistry is 62.2%, in more effective learning is 66.2%, and in motivating students to cooperate in team work is 57%. There is not a significant difference between the final score of two groups. Since 73.5% of students think biochemistry is one of the important and useful lessens in their field and based on student's satisfaction in using of various teaching methods in better and effectiveness learning equal 76.5%, and Due to the percentage satisfaction students of cooperating teaching method that is 64% that is more than the professor lecture method, it is proposed to use of various and cooperative methods in biochemistry teaching. These results can be the starting point for change of the teaching of "teacher- centered "to "student-centered".