Small group effectiveness in a Caribbean medical school's problem-based learning sessions.
OBJECTIVE
The Tutorial Group Effectiveness Instrument was developed to provide objective information on the effectiveness of small groups. Student perception of small group effectiveness during the problem base learning (PBL) process has not been previously studied in Xavier University School of Medicine (Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands); hence, the present study was carried out.


METHODS
The study was conducted among second and third semester undergraduate medical students during the last week of September 2013, at Xavier University School of Medicine of the Netherlands. Students were informed about the objectives of the study and invited to participate after obtaining written, informed consent. Demographic information like gender, age, nationality, and whether the respondent had been exposed to PBL before joining the institution was noted. Student perception about small group effectiveness was studied by noting their degree of agreement with a set of 19 statements using a Likert-type scale.


RESULTS
Thirty-four of the 37 (91.9%) second and third semester medical students participated in the study. The mean cognitive score was 3.76 while the mean motivational and de-motivational scores were 3.65 and 2.51, respectively. The median cognitive category score was 27 (maximum score 35) while the motivation score was 26 (maximum score 35) and the de-motivational score was 12 (maximum score25). There was no significant difference in scores according to respondents' demographic characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Student perception about small group effectiveness was positive. Since most medical schools worldwide already have or are introducing PBL as a learning modality, the Tutorial Group Effectiveness Instrument can provide valuable information about small group functioning during PBL sessions.
Department of Pharmacology, Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
P Ravi
PR
Shankar
Department of Microbiology, Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Atanu
A
Nandy
Department of Pathology, Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Ramanan
R
Balasubramanium
Department of Biochemistry, Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Soumitra
S
Chakravarty