Abstract

Aim: To study the instructional modes of teaching in basic medical sciences of SIMS, Lahore.

Study design: A cross-sectional study was conducted.

Place and duration of study: The study was carried out in Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore, which is a medical college attached to the University of Health and Sciences, Lahore. Study was conducted from April-June 2018.

Methodology: A sample size of 232 students was calculated by WHO software S size at confidence level 95% and 5% margin of error, using total population size of 600 and anticipated population proportion 0.5.

Simple random sampling technique (lottery method) was used, with equal representation to all three years.Selected students were given a standardized questionnaire, with face to face interview. It consisted of closed ended questions with multiple answers regarding the student preferences for the different instructional modes.

Results: Results show that although the lectures were available, only 31% students (less than one-third), out of 232 students of 1st, 2nd and 3rd year that took part in our study, preferred these traditional lectures. The remaining 69% preferred different varieties of the small-scale teaching methods. However,the advanced techniques of small-scale teaching were not completely available, in their true forms therefore students contradicted in their opinion regarding their availability in the institute.

Conclusion: Our study showed that lectures, tutorials and demonstrations were the teaching modes available to the students of Services Institute of Medical Sciences. However, the advanced techniques of small-scale teaching were not completely available, in their true forms therefore students contradicted in their opinion regarding their availability in the institute. Less than one- third students preferred the large-scale teaching through lectures, which were available in the traditional form.

Key words: Large-scale learning, small-scale teaching, active learning, passive learning, lectures, discussions.