Case-based learning paradigm: The role of gender program interface on knowledge acquisition process

Abstract

The effectiveness of any pedagogical method is reflected on learners perception of key elements involved in the process of knowledge acquisition. The adoption of case-based learning is asserted to deliver superior positive influence on how students perceive learning process. The current study was designed to analyze and understand how students perceive the impact of CBL on learning process. Fifty six consenting 5th year medical and dental students were randomly selected to participate in the study. The students were taught three selected topics using CBL as against the didactic lecture they were used to. At the end of the classes, the students were given a well-structured questionnaire to respond to in Likert-type of scale. Responses were analyzed with simple percentage and Mann-Whitney U test. Analyses reveal that the students rated its influence on learning process quite favorably. More than 80% of all the students agreed that CBL motivates personal study and promotes better student participation. However, while 76% (n = of male students strongly agreed that CBL fosters student-teacher interaction, only 40% of their female counterparts share that opinion to the same level. Overall, the way key elements were rated by the students demonstrated strong gender-program complexity. The high ratings that the students gave CBL suggest that adoption of CBL as a mean pedagogical method will enhance student learning experience, a factor that is critical to improving student performance at examination and future practice. However, the adoption and implementation of CBL should be gender and program sensitive to maximize its benefits and as such it recommended that further studies be carried on the influence gender and program of study on the effectiveness of CBL.

Keywords

• case-based learning
• gender
• knowledge
• learning process