Innovation in teaching-learning methods with an effective application of adult learning principles for the first year of allied health science courses

Background: In Indian context, most of the allied health science (AHS) courses are taught using an “apprenticeship model” rather than, structured, planned teaching methodologies. Aims and Objectives: This study was focused to reform the teaching methodology guidelines for faculty, to afford enthusiastic learning of AHS students in the classroom environment and evaluating their performance through formative and summative assessments. Materials and Methods: AHS students from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India (n = 33) were inducted into the study. The traditional lectures for gastro-intestinal tract had completed by physiology faculty. The diet-nutrition topic chose for horizontal integration between physiology and biochemistry subjects. This integrated module was handled by one of the biochemistry faculty and sessions were observed by two other faculties as observers from departments of physiology and biochemistry. The observers followed the guidelines to evaluate the teaching methodology through prevalidated checklist used a modified Likert scale. The degree of agreement between two observers was determined using Cohen’s kappa statistics. The students’ performance was evaluated with students paired “t” test for written test and viva voce marks based. Results: The results demonstrated that the inter-rater reliability calculated by the observers for teaching methodology on integrated session of the biochemistry faculty was significant with a score of 93%, with total criterion score of 28 and a matched criteria score of 26. As well proved an improvement in the students’ learning process, evidenced by better performance in the post-test and structured viva voce. Conclusion: The new innovative teaching methods exercised by the faculty, demonstrated enhanced performance of the students with horizontal integration, proving the robustness of this module.