Table 5.
Students’ views about integrated laboratory classes
| Question | Responses* |
Practical 1: CSF infection |
Practical 2: Small intestine and pancreas |
Practical 3: Liver function tests |
Practical 4: Adrenal gland function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | ||
| Q1: Overall I enjoyed working on cases to apply knowledge learnt. |
Strongly Agree |
151 (61.1) |
118 (46.8) |
117 (49.2) |
108 (44.3) |
| Agree |
84 (34.0) |
107 (42.5) |
102 (42.9) |
108 (44.3) |
|
| Unable to decide |
7 (2.8) |
12 (4.8) |
15 (6.3) |
23 (9.4) |
|
| Disagree |
3 (1.2) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0.0) |
3 (1.2) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
2 (0.8) |
3 (1.2) |
4 (1.7) |
2 (0.8) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q2: The feedback from the tutor at the end was useful to my learning. |
Strongly Agree |
133 (53.8) |
106 (42.1) |
96 (40.3) |
92 (37.7) |
| Agree |
90 (36.4) |
116 (46.0) |
104 (43.7) |
108 (44.3) |
|
| Unable to decide |
19 (7.7) |
16 (6.3) |
29 (12.2) |
34 (13.9) |
|
| Disagree |
3 (1.2) |
1 (0.4) |
5 (2.1) |
8 (3.3) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
2 (0.8) |
2 (0.8) |
4 (1.7) |
2 (0.8) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q3: The integration of subjects such as biochemistry, pathology, and microbiology in this practical class helped me to better understand issues related in the practical class. |
Strongly Agree |
139 (56.3) |
110 (43.7) |
83 (34.9) |
92 (37.7) |
| Agree |
87 (35.2) |
100 (39.7) |
99 (41.6) |
98 (40.2) |
|
| Unable to decide |
16 (6.5) |
20 (7.9) |
41 (17.2) |
44 (18.0) |
|
| Disagree |
4 (1.6) |
9 (3.6) |
11 (4.6) |
7 (2.9) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
1 (0.4) |
2 (0.8) |
4 (1.7) |
3 (1.2) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q4: The laboratory procedure conducted was useful to my learning** |
Strongly Agree |
102 (41.3) |
113 (44.8) |
79 (33.2) |
73 (29.9) |
| Agree |
92 (37.2) |
86 (34.1) |
115 (48.3) |
114 (46.7) |
|
| Unable to decide |
40 (16.2) |
30 (11.9) |
27 (11.3) |
41 (16.8) |
|
| Disagree |
10 (4.0) |
11 (4.4) |
14 (5.9) |
11 (4.5) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
3 (1.2) |
1 (0.4) |
3 (1.3) |
5 (2.0) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q5: I enjoyed working with and learning from other students in this practical class. |
Strongly Agree |
115 (46.6) |
103 (40.9) |
90 (37.8) |
94 (38.5) |
| Agree |
104 (42.1) |
117 (46.4) |
103 (43.3) |
97 (39.8) |
|
| Unable to decide |
25 (10.1) |
18 (7.1) |
32 (13.4) |
38 (15.6) |
|
| Disagree |
2 (0.8) |
1 (0.4) |
8 (3.4) |
12 (4.9) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
1 (0.4) |
2 (0.8) |
5 (2.1) |
3 (1.2) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100) |
525 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q6: Practical classes should have cases to work on, followed by tutor discussion of tasks provided and hands-on training related to the practical class. |
Strongly Agree |
134 (54.3) |
112 (44.4) |
97 (40.8) |
103 (42.2) |
| Agree |
89 (36.0) |
102 (40.5) |
99 (41.6) |
89 (36.5) |
|
| Unable to decide |
15 (6.1) |
20 (7.9) |
33 (13.9) |
39 (16.0) |
|
| Disagree |
7 (2.8) |
3 (1.2) |
4 (1.7) |
10 (4.1) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
2 (0.8) |
4 (1.6) |
5 (2.1) |
3 (1.2) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q7: I learnt better through working on tasks and working with others |
Strongly Agree |
102 (41.3) |
69 (27.4) |
75 (31.5) |
77 (31.6) |
| Agree |
103 (41.7) |
116 (46.0) |
110 (46.2) |
106 (43.4) |
|
| Unable to decide |
27 (10.9) |
38 (15.1) |
31 (13.0 |
32 (13.1) |
|
| Disagree |
10 (4.0) |
10 (4.0) |
13 (5.5) |
22 (9.0) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
5 (2.0) |
8 (3.2) |
9 (3.8) |
7 (2.9) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100.0) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q8: My learning is enhanced when I use several resources (e.g., multimedia, PBL cases, practical classes, and textbooks). |
Strongly Agree |
93 (37.7) |
71 (28.2 ) |
65 (27.3) |
78 (32.0) |
| Agree |
108 (43.7) |
107 (42.5) |
107 (45.0) |
99 (40.6) |
|
| Unable to decide |
32 (13.0) |
41 (16.3) |
41 (17.2) |
36 (14.8) |
|
| Disagree |
6 (2.4) |
17 (6.7) |
16 (6.7) |
18 (7.4) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
8 (3.2) |
5 (2.0) |
9 (3.8) |
13 (5.3) |
|
| Total number |
247 (100.0) |
252 (100) |
238 (100) |
244 (100) |
|
| Q9: I learn better by hands-on working on activities in practical classes |
Strongly Agree |
139 (52.6) |
104 (41.3) |
82 (33.2) |
95 (38.9) |
| Agree |
87 (39.3) |
115 (45.6) |
111 (46.6) |
105 (43.0) |
|
| Unable to decide |
13 (5.3) |
18 (7.1) |
31 (13.0) |
27 (11.1) |
|
| Disagree |
4 (1.6) |
2 (0.8) |
12 (5.0) |
15 (6.1) |
|
| Strongly disagree |
3 (1.2) |
2 (0.8) |
2 (0.8) |
2 (0.8) |
|
| Total number | 247 (100) | 252 (100) | 238 (100) | 244 (100) |
* A 5-point Likert scale, where 1 indicated “strongly agree”, 3 indicated “unable to decide”, and 5 “strongly disagree”.
** The laboratory procedure was for Practical 1: measurement of glucose concentration in a cerebrospinal fluid sample, for Practical 2: measurement of serum amylase activity, for Practical 3: measurement of serum bilirubin concentration, Practical 4: measurement of serum cortisol.