Evaluation of the Effects of Novel Educational Methods on Learning and Retention of the Course of Hereditary Diseases and Genetic Counseling

Due to the disadvantages of teaching through lectures, the need for their replacement with active and collaborative learning methods is strongly felt. Students of public health, due to employment in the health network, have an important role in screening for genetic disorders. This study aimed to change teaching methods to increase retention of practical contents in the minds of undergraduate students of public health after graduation.
This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 20 public health students of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The course of hereditary diseases and genetic counseling was taught with a new method that combines traditional and modern (the use of blogs, PowerPoint, discussion in small groups on clinical issues, and developmental quizzes) teaching methods. A year after the final exam, an exam and survey were held. The results of the survey and student’s grades were analyzed using paired t-test in SPSS software.
Average scores of the final exam and 1-year reexamination were 17.25 and 11.10, respectively and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.004). However, the students stated that they remembered more than 86% of the topics covered in class to some extent. Among the students, 45% and 14% believed this to be due to developmental quizzes and problem-based learning, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the components of students’ satisfaction from teaching between the two mentioned time periods (P = 0.196).
Continuous developmental quizzes, due to repetition of course content at short intervals, and problem-based learning in small groups, due to promoting dynamism of mind and increasing motivation to remember because of participation in debates, cause the students to remember more and for a longer period.