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Teaching physiology by combined passive (pedagogical) and active (andragogical) methods
1Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington 40536-0084, USA.
The American Journal of Physiology
|June 1, 1995
Summary
This study compared passive pedagogy and active andragogy in undergraduate physiology. Results show no difference in performance, but students preferred the active andragogy approach, suggesting a combined model is effective.
Area of Science:
- Physiology Education
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Pedagogy and andragogy represent distinct educational models: passive learning versus active learning.
- Traditional pedagogy often relies on didactic lectures and passive evaluation methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of pedagogical (passive) versus andragogical (active) teaching methods in an undergraduate physiology course.
- To evaluate student performance and satisfaction with different educational approaches.
Main Methods:
- Two sections of an undergraduate physiology course were compared.
- Section 01 used didactic lectures and multiple-choice exams (pedagogy).
- Section 02 used lectures as a source for library-researched essays and discussions (andragogy).
Main Results:
- No significant difference was found in overall student performance outcomes between the two sections (P > 0.47).
- Students in the andragogical section (Section 02) reported significantly higher overall satisfaction (P <= 0.05).
- Instructor ratings were virtually identical, indicating the differences were due to teaching methods, not instructors (P > 0.98).
Conclusions:
- A combined pedagogical and andragogical approach is a viable and effective model for teaching introductory physiology.
- Active learning strategies, even when combined with traditional lectures, can enhance student engagement and satisfaction.
- Student-centered learning approaches may lead to higher satisfaction without compromising academic performance.