580 Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research |Vol 54 | Issue 3 | Jul-Sep, 2020 Original Artcle www.ijper.org A Learner Centered Approach of Teaching and Learning in Pharmacology: A Questionnaire Based Analysis of Student Cognizance and Experiences Rashmi Raghava Rao, Preethi Jnaneshwara Shenoy*, Sheetal Dinakar Ullal, Ashwin Kamath Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, INDIA. ABSTRACT Background: Innovative and flexible educational methods like Problem Based Learning (PBL) and integrated teaching practices were integrated into the Pharmacology course in a manner that they complement the didactic lectures or, completely replace the lecture classes with the aim to optimize the educational atmosphere for a better learner experience. Aim: The present study is an attempt to gather feedback on newer teaching learning methods and audiovisual aids employed during the didactic lectures and small group teaching sessions newly introduced into the curriculum. Methods: The study is a cross sectional questionnaire-based analysis. The questionnaires were distributed to the second-year medical students inviting them to share their opinion on usefulness of current teaching-learning methods. The data collected was analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. Results: The students rated small group discussions and small tests- assessment for learning to be more useful in understanding the subject as well as scoring more marks in the examinations (Likert score of 4.5 and 4.51 respectively). Didactic lectures were less useful with a Likert score of 3.71. Both problems based learning and integrated teaching scores were equivocal with more students favoring integrated teaching. Conclusion: Student feedback forms the backbone for continuing revisions of undergraduate curriculum with the aim of making the subject more learner-oriented and practically relevant. Constant review of our current methodology will reflect on success of newer teaching-learning methods introduced in encouraging learning. It would enable us to incorporate appropriate changes in curricula where and when necessary. Key words: Teaching learning methods, PBL, Integrated teaching, Student perception, Audiovisual aids, Active learning. DOI: 10.5530/ijper.54.3.107 Correspondence: Dr. Preethi J Shenoy Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, P.B. No. 53, Light House Hill Road, Hampanakatta, Mangalore-575001, Karnataka, INDIA. Phone: +91 9880750040 E-mail: preethi.pai@manipal. edu Submission Date: 20-06-2019; Revision Date: 06-02-2020; Accepted Date: 14-04-2020 INTRODUCTION Revisiting instructional programs with constant curricular revisions is a necessity to overcome the handicaps of the current undergraduate medical education, which relies on traditional teaching methods where student learning is rote based with a short-lived memory. Teaching and learning in Pharmacology has been evolving owing to vast changes within the discipline, the methods adopted by students to learn and changes in faculty teaching methods. Earlier educational research has revealed that memorization by repetition is often a poor strategy in engaging students to learn. Classrooms with focus on the teacher rather than on the student may defeat the very idea of a learner-centered ambience of teaching and learning. Traditional lectures with its strong proponents continue to be the core backbone of the undergraduate instruction since many years. 1 A common cited advantage of lecturing is that it is a convenient method of covering a vast amount of course content with an exquisite and fascinating lecture presentation. However, research has proved that instruction methods which promote active learning, that which engages students in the process of learning through activities and/