Hironmoy Roy; Kuntala Ray

Volume : VIII, Issue : VII, July - 2019

"WhatsApp"- a supplementary teaching method in Anatomy for first year medical students and students' reflection on it

Hironmoy Roy, Kuntala Ray

Abstract :

Rationality: WhatsApp has been accepted as one of the commonly used social media for communication, texting, instant massaging by us. Now, when the Medical Council of India is stressing upon the Self–Directed Learning, e–learning; and the UG medical curriculum is shifting towards the Competency based medical education; at this juncture this study has been conducted to observe the acceptability of the WhatsApp based learning of the students. Aim: To analyse the feedback of the students for the WhatsApp based group discussion introduced in parallel to the traditional classroom teaching, in the subject of Anatomy, for first professional MBBS students. Method: In the tenure of one and half months the Abdomen– viscera demonstration classes a WhatsApp group has been formed with the students. Students were provided with different provoking questions and they were asked to search out the replies by searching internet, books, journals and to post in the group. After the Part–completion, a feedback has been obtained from the students regarding their perception for acceptability of the WhatsApp based discussion in parallel to the classical class–room teaching. Result: majority of the students have replied that (1) It helped them to clear doubts, (2) There was constant schrynchonus or aschrynchonus communication with peers as well as the facilitators, (3) It helped them to study at their own place, at own time, (4) It helped them to participate in the group discussion, even when they stayed apart, (5) It provoked them to find the internet to solve the answers of the questions, i.e. it otherwards, it helped them for self–directed learning unknowingly. Conclusion: Self directed learning, peer assisted group discussion when perceived as one of the positive attribute for the WhatsApp based group discussion, on the other hand the teaching–learning hours also expands outside the class–room hours. So, the core–competencies may be taught in the on–site classroom, whereas the other non–core areas as well as problem–based questions may be discussed in the social media platform with the students.