Comparison the Effect of Student-Based Group Discussion and Lecture Methods Teaching on Midwifery Student's Learning Level Print

Aims: True learning needs the utilization of proper teaching methods leading to students’ interests in the learning activities to gain useful learning experiences. Therefore, it is needed to reform the traditional teaching methods and to use new student-focused methods by the educational systems. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the student-focused group discussion method and lecture method on the learning level in the Midwifery students.
In the semi-experimental study, 72 third-semester Midwifery bachelor students of Islamic Azad University, Gorgan Branch, were selected via census method to participate in the theoretical clinical pregnancy course presented as lecture and group discussion methods in 2014. The final test was done after the end of the training courses. And, material durability test was done 8 weeks after the end of the course sessions. Data was analyzed, using SPSS 16 software and Wilcoxon Non-parametric Test.
Findings: There was a significant difference between the mean scores of all the sessions conducted through lecture method (45.00±8.00) and group discussion method (57.00±10.00; p=0.0001). There was a significant difference in the material durability after 8 weeks between the mean scores of lecture (24.50±13.90) and group discussion (35.10±13.10) methods (p=0.0001).
Standard student-focused group discussion training affects the midwifery students’ learning more than the lecture method does and there is higher information durability.