Use of audio-visual aids in medical education for effective learning

Abstract               Background: Educators are in constant search for more efficient and effective ways to advance student learning. Medical teachers have previously conveniently used blackboard and slide projectors to educate the students. Now a day’s various combinations of audio visual aids such as power point, videos, have been used to enhance the quality of teaching. This study was done to know the students opinion regarding the various audio visual aids used during the lecture classes.

Materials and methods: A total no of 397 students from first year to final year medical and first year dental students from Sri Siddhartha Medical and Dental College were invited to participate in a questionnaire based study. Their responses were analyzed. Results: In the present study three hundred and ninety seven students were participated. Out of 397 majorities were from Indian origin and 44.1% were from Karnataka. Majority were studied in private school and in English medium. In most of the schools the black board was the teaching method used. In the present study most of the students (46.3%) preferred combination of audio visual aids during didactic lecture classes. Students preferred power point as a best media for better understanding of subject, flow chart and diagrams. Conclusion: As the Chinese proverb “A picture paints a thousand words”, simply providing content, the information presented can be enhanced and thus hopefully made easier to assimilate by the use of visual aids. From the point of view of the educator the logical conclusion is from passive reading to active media is truly interactive. In the present study the lectures delivered by using a combination of audiovisual aids are more appreciated and accepted by the students.

Key Word: effective learning.