Small-team active learning in an integrated pharmacokinetics course series

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology Education
• Active Learning Strategies
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Traditional pharmacokinetics education often struggles with student engagement and concept application.
• Implementing active learning methodologies is crucial for enhancing understanding in complex scientific subjects.
• Assessing student perceptions is vital for refining educational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a pharmacokinetics curriculum utilizing small-team active learning.
• To assess student perceptions regarding teamwork, peer teaching, and concept application within the curriculum.
• To determine the impact of the active learning approach on students' confidence and critical evaluation skills.

Main Methods:

• A pharmacokinetics course was designed using a lecture followed by problem-based learning (PBL) small-team sessions.
• Faculty facilitated active learning environments through classroom and PBL discussions.
• Anonymous pre- and post-course surveys were administered to gauge student perceptions and anxiety levels.

Main Results:

• Student anxiety related to small-team collaboration significantly decreased from 67% to 44%.
• A high percentage of students (80%) reported persistent anxiety regarding peer teaching and receiving information from peers.
• The curriculum positively impacted students' ability to apply concepts to case studies but had minimal effect on critical evaluation and presentation skills.

Conclusions:

• The team-based active learning structure enhances student comfort and confidence in applying pharmacokinetics to therapeutic scenarios.
• Further refinement is needed to address student anxiety associated with peer teaching within active learning pharmacokinetics curricula.
• The study highlights the benefits and challenges of integrating active learning in specialized scientific education.