Crossword Puzzles – A Fun Educational Tool to Reinforce Information

Abstract

Introduction: Students-centered teaching and learning methods are the trends in medical education. Many innovative techniques are introduced and implemented to promote active learning by students, like crossword puzzles, a fun educational tool to generate interest, motivate, and enhance the critical thinking of medical students. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the perception of medical students toward crossword puzzles. Materials and Methods: This is an interventional study done on II MBBS students in the department of pathology. The crossword puzzles are created, and students are allowed to solve them for 15 min after a didactic lecture. Then, students are provided with a questionnaire to assess their perceptions toward this technique. The knowledge gained and retained was evaluated by short answer questions in comparison with topics dealt with only by traditional lectures. Descriptive and analytical statistical analysis of mean, standard deviation, and paired t-test for analysis of scores of both methods are done. Results: The majority of the students in this study perceived that crossword puzzles helped in better understanding of concepts, were fun education tools, challenging and problem-solving, emphasized the core topic, helped reinforcement of lectures, encouraged active learning, and improved overall thinking. The P value between the scores by only lecture method and that reinforced by crossword puzzles was extremely statistically significant. Thus crossword puzzles can be used to enhance retention and help in reinforcement learning. Conclusions: Crossword puzzles are an innovative learning method which promotes active learning and overall thinking of the students. This can be implemented in medical schools as a simple, creative, and effective means of holistic learning.

Keywords

• critical thinking
• crossword puzzles
• medical students
• perceptions
• reinforce