ABSTRACT: Board game versus lecture-based seminar in the teaching of pharmacology of antimicrobial drugs – a randomised controlled trial
BACKGROUND:
The effectiveness of an educational board game developed to teach the pharmacology of antimicrobial drugs to medical students was compared with the lecture-based seminar as a supplemental tool to improve short- and long-term knowledge retention and the perception of the learning method by students.
METHODS:
A group of 124 students was randomised to board game and control groups. Short-term knowledge retention was assessed by comparing differences in post- and pre-tests scores, and long-term knowledge retention by comparing final examination scores.
RESULTS:
Both didactic methods seem to improve short-term knowledge retention to similar extent. Long-term knowledge retention of board game seminar participants was higher than those who attended the lecture-based seminar (ANCOVA, p = 0.035). The effect was most pronounced within 14 days after the intervention (ANOVA, p = 0.007). The board game was well perceived by the students.
CONCLUSIONS:
The board game seems to be a promising didactic tool, however, it should be further tested to assess its full educational utility.
Written by Brian S McGowan, PhD
Dr. McGowan has served in leadership positions in numerous medical educational organizations and commercial supporters and is a Fellow of the Alliance (FACEhp). He founded the Outcomes Standardization Project, launched and hosted the Alliance Podcast, and most recently launched and hosts the JCEHP Emerging Best Practices in CPD podcast. In 2012 he Co-Founded ArcheMedX, Inc, a healthcare informatics and e-learning company to apply his research in practice.
