Exploring the Impact of Small Group Teaching and Case-Based Learning on Optometry Students' Binocular Vision Clinical...

Area of Science:

• Optometry Education
• Clinical Teaching Methods
• Binocular Vision

Background:

• Small group teaching is prevalent in healthcare education but understudied in optometry.
• Accommodation and convergence anomalies are key areas in optometric assessment and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of small group clinical teaching combined with case-based learning (CBL) on final-year optometry students' knowledge.
• To assess student understanding of the assessment, diagnosis, and management of accommodation and convergence anomalies.

Main Methods:

• 89 final-year optometry students were randomized into control and intervention groups.
• The intervention group received small group teaching with CBL, while the control group received standard teaching.
• Knowledge was assessed using multiple-choice questions before and after the tutorial.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in pre-tutorial knowledge (Set A scores) between groups.
• The intervention group showed significantly higher post-tutorial knowledge scores (Set B) compared to the control group (p=0.01).

Conclusions:

• Small group teaching integrated with CBL effectively enhances optometry students' knowledge of accommodation and convergence anomalies.
• This educational approach shows promise for application across various healthcare disciplines.