Title

A Comparative Study on the Impact of Smart Board vs. PowerPoint Teaching in Undergraduate MBBS Students

Public Title

Smartboards vs. PowerPoint: Improving Clinical Skills in Medical Students

Background

The digital transformation in medical education has led to the adoption of various teaching tools. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluates the effectiveness of Smartboards versus PowerPoint presentations in improving clinical competency among undergraduate medical students in India.

Rationale for the Study

Despite the widespread use of PowerPoint presentations and Smartboards in medical education, there is a paucity of research comparing their effectiveness in undergraduate medical training. Given the importance of effective teachingin medical education and the growing reliance on digital tools, it is essential to evaluate their pedagogical impact to guide future teaching practices. This study seeks to fill this gap in the literature.

Objectives

1. To compare the effectiveness of PowerPoint presentations and Smartboards in teaching undergraduate medical students using quantitative methods.
2. To gather qualitative feedback from students regarding their experiences with the teaching methods.
3. To gather qualitative feedback from teachers regarding their experiences with the teaching methods.

Study Design

• Type: Open-label, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT).
• Setting: Tertiary care medical institution in North India.
• Participants: 360 MBBS students (aged 20–24 years).
• Intervention Group: Smartboard-based teaching.
• Control Group: PowerPoint-based teaching.
• Both groups receive identical content, taught by trained faculty, to ensure a fair comparison.
• Randomization & Blinding:
  1. Stratified randomization based on baseline test scores to ensure balanced groups.
  2. Blinding: Outcome assessors and data analysts will be blinded to group allocation.

Ethical Considerations

1. Ethical clearance obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee.
2. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants.
3. Participation will have no impact on students’ academic performance.

Inclusion Criteria

1. MBBS students currently enrolled in 2nd, 3rd, or final year at the participating institution.
2. Willingness to participate and provide informed consent.
3. Availability to attend the full duration of the study, including follow-up assessments.
4. Students who scored between 50% and 70% on a baseline pre-class test and attendance more than 80% were eligible for participation. 

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (Quantitative):

• Knowledge assessments, based on OSCE scores, were administered immediately after the class, and at 4 weeks and 8 weeks to evaluate long-term retention.
• The assessments were validated by subject matter experts to ensure they accurately measured the intended knowledge.
• A standardized test for each topic was used consistently across both groups.

Secondary Outcomes (Qualitative):

• Structured feedback forms were administered immediately after the classes to collect insights from students and teachers regarding the effectiveness of the teaching methods.
• Thematic analysis will be conducted by multiple researchers to identify themes related to engagement, satisfaction, and learning outcomes.

Conclusion

Interactive educational tools, such as Smartboards, have the potential to significantly improve medical students’ knowledge retention and clinical decision-making, leading to enhanced patient care and better healthcare delivery. Given their proven effectiveness in improving engagement and understanding, these technologies should be considered for integration into medical curricula globally, particularly in settings where traditional educational methods may limit the scope of learning.

Expected Benefits

This study will provide critical evidence on the role of interactive learning tools in medical education, guiding future curriculum development and policy recommendations, especially in low-resource settings.