Comparison of didactic lecture, self-reading and self-instruction as learning methods in medical students of western...

A controlled study was conducted on a batch of fifty-four medical students in the paraclinical period of study, to compare the relative effectiveness of self-reading of books, didactic lecture and use of self-instruction kits as teaching-learning experiences. The assessment was done by an immediate and delayed objective type examination as well as questionnaire. The results indicate self-reading to be relatively ineffective. Didactic lectures and use of self-instruction kits have a similar rating in objective assessment while, subjectively, the students expressed a marginal preference for self-instruction kits. Comparison of the performance of the students grouped according to merit reveals that there is no significant difference between the three methods of learning in the lower group while the upper group did perceptibly better with self-instruction kits than with didactic lecture.