Evaluating Phase ۲ MBBS Students' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of the Fish bowl Technique Combined with Lecture in Pathology

Background: Traditional classroom lecture has been the backbone of medical education for a long time. Though effective, it has inherent problems of active student engagement and facilitation of learning for better outcomes. In contrast, innovative small-group learning methods like the Fish bowl technique promote active participation and foster learning. Objectives: The study aims to analyze the combined utility of the Fish bowl technique along with lecture and to compare students’ perceptions of its effectiveness. Methods: A quasi-experimental crossover study was conducted among second-phase medical undergraduate students in the Department of Pathology. The students were primed about the topic via a didactic lecture which was followed by a pre-test. The study consisted of ۱۳۸ students, who were divided into six groups across ۲ days/week (three batches/day), each group consisted of ۲۳ students, and a Fish bowl discussion was conducted. At the end of the session, a post-test was done and feedback was taken from students. Results: There was statistical improvement in post-test scores of the Fish bowl technique, a gain of ۱۶.۸۱% as compared to the pre-test score. Lecture followed by Fish bowl sessions stimulated more interest (۷۵.۳۶%), increased active participation (۸۶.۲۳%), and improved satisfaction of learning (۷۳.۹۱%) amongst students as compared to lecture only. The retention of the study subject, coverage of important concepts, and meaningful discussion was better with lecture along with Fish bowl discussion. Conclusion: The combination of traditional and Fish bowl technique proved to be a positive learning experience for students. Fish bowl is an effective student-centric method that piques curiosity, promotes active participation, and fosters critical thinking.

کلیدواژه ها:

medical education ، Fish bowl Technique ، lecture ، Learning experience