Journal of Research in Medical Education & Ethics
  • Year: 2014
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue: 3

Assessment of Impact of Note-taking on Cognition of Undergraduate Dental Student during Lectures

1Professor, Department of Medicine, Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Wardha, Maharashtra, India

2Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Wardha, Maharashtra, India

3Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, Sarad Pawar Dental College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University) Sawangi, Wardha, Maharashtra, India

*Corresponding author email id: sunilkumarmed@gmail.com

Online published on 16 December, 2014.

Abstract

Medical/dental teachers have conventionally been using different teaching methods like blackboard and PowerPoint for delivering lectures. Students are given the freedom to note down from the PowerPoint slides the content taught during a lecture. Thepresent study was undertaken to explore the impact of note taking on students’ learning and also to determine students’ perceptions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of note taking.

During an endocrinology lecture (Lecture 1 on hypothyroidism) using PowerPoint, students were allowed to take down notes. Lecture 1 was followed by an examination (Test 1). During another lecture (Lecture 2 on hyperthyroidism), students were not allowed to take down notes, but were asked to listen only. This was followed by an examination (Test 2). Scores of Test 1 and 2 were compared using paired t test.

The mean score for pre-test in lecture with note on hypothyroidism was (5.47±0.62) and post-test was (9.89±0.31), which was found to be statistically significant (P<0.000). The mean score for pre-test in lecture without note on hyperthyroidism was (5.21±0.70) and post-test was (8.04±0.68), which was found to be statistically significant (P<0.000).

The present study revealed that note-taking during the lecture facilitated student learning by helping them to recall better.

Keywords

Note-taking, Cognition, Knowledge, Assessment, Lecture, Undergraduate, Dental students