title: Interactive large-group teaching in a dermatology course.
abstract: This is a prospective study to find out whether an interactive large-group case-based teaching approach combined with small-group bedside teaching improves student satisfaction and learning outcome in a practical dermatology course. During two consecutive terms a rotating system of large-group interactive case-study-method teaching with two tutors (one content expert, one process facilitator) and bedside teaching with randomly appointed tutors was evaluated with a nine-item questionnaire and multiple-choice test performed at the beginning and the end of the course (n = 204/231 students evaluable). The results of three different didactic approaches utilized over the prior year served as a control. The interactive course was rated significantly better (p < 0.0001) than the standard course with regard to all items. The aggregate mark given by the students for the whole course was 1.58-0.61 (mean +/- SD, range 1 (good)-5 (poor)). This was significantly better than the standard course (p < 0.0001) and not different from small-group teaching approaches. The mean test results in the final examination improved significantly (p < 0.01). The combination of large-group interactive teaching and small-group bedside teaching was well accepted, improved the learning outcome, was rated as good as a small-group didactic approach and needed fewer resources in terms of personnel.
authors.affiliation: Klinikum d. J.W. Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. ochsendorf@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ochsendorf
authors.forename: W-H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Boehncke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sommerlad
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003479:Curriculum; D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*