Inductive teaching method–an alternate method for small group learning

Figures & data

Table

Practice points
•Topic-based small group tutorials combine the effectiveness of small group learning with ensuring coverage of a pre-defined syllabus.
•The inductive teaching method, an alternate method of topic-based small group tutorial promotes asking of relevant questions, drawing of information from memory to answer them and reasoning by a process of induction through causal cognition, under guidance from an expert.
•Students rated the topic-based small group tutorials highly for all the parameters studied. The inductive method in addition suggested an increase in deep learning, though it required more time compared to the directed topic–based small group tutorial.

Table 1.  Overall evaluation of the topic-based small group tutorials and comparison between the directed and the inductive methods using a five-point Likert scale where ‘strongly agree’ was 5 and ‘strongly disagree’ was 1. (n = 49)

		Comparative responses (teaching method)
		Directed		Inductive
Parameters evaluated in the questionnaire	Overall median response	Median	Range	Median	Range	p-value
Generated interest in the topic	4	4	3–5	5	3–5	<0.001
Facts covered (content)	4	4	2–5	4	2–5	<0.001*
Facts retained (memory)	4	4	2–5	5	3–5	<0.001
A conducive environment for learning was produced (comfort)	4	4	3–5	5	2–5	0.006
Generated confidence in my medical knowledge	4	4	2–5	4	2–5	0.237
Helped me to understand the topics (comprehension)	4	4	2–5	5	2–5	0.034
Inspired me to read more (inspiration)	4	4	2–5	5	2–5	<0.001
Was able to better correlate with what I already knew (correlation)	4	4	2–5	4.5	2–5	<0.001

Notes: Wilcoxon signed ranks test; p < 0.05 significant.

*In favour of directed tutorial; others in favour of inductive method.