Leveraging active learning through student-generated questions and electronic posters in a physiology course

Active learning fosters problem-solving, critical thinking, and practical application of theory. In pharmacy education, strategies such as student-generated multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and electronic posters (e-posters) can supplement traditional lectures to enhance learning. This cross-sectional study evaluated first-year pharmacy students' perceptions of this approach and the effectiveness of integrating MCQ generation (including scenario-based questions) and e-poster preparation into a two-semester physiology course, using a validated questionnaire. The survey evaluated engagement, satisfaction, information recall, conceptual comprehension, and application skills through Likert-scale and open-ended items. Academic performance was compared within the same cohort across semesters and with students from the previous academic year, who had not participated in these strategies. More than 70% of students agreed that both activities improved comprehension, factual recall, and clinical reasoning and the collaborative e-poster activity supported communication and creativity in applying physiological concepts. Intracohort analysis indicated that MCQ generation alone boosted summative assessment performance more, whereas the addition of e-posters in the second semester enhanced qualitative learning outcomes and skill development, despite the slightly heavier workload. Performance analysis showed that students exposed to these active learning strategies achieved higher mean scores than the previous cohort taught with traditional methods, and intracohort comparisons showed consistent performance across semesters despite the greater workload in the second term. Overall, incorporating student-generated MCQs and e-posters fostered stronger understanding, engagement, and skill development in first-year pharmacy students, enhancing the learning experience and supporting meaningful learning and higher-order thinking in foundational science education.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study evaluated the impact of integrating student-generated multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and electronic posters into a first-year pharmacy physiology course. With a validated survey and performance comparisons, results showed improved engagement, comprehension, clinical reasoning, and academic performance compared with a previous cohort taught traditionally. Over 70% of students reported enhanced learning, and outcomes remained consistent across semesters despite increased workload, supporting the value of combined active learning strategies.