Perception of Medical Students on Lecture Methods:Power Point or Chalkboard?

Aim: Using chalkboard is a traditional method of lecture delivery. Use of power point is relatively new. Modern day teaching is always learner oriented. This study was aimed to assess perceptions of undergraduate students on these methods of lecture delivery in learning surgery. Methods: Study was done in a teaching hospital over a period of six months. Theory classes of 5th semester in surgery were taken alternately by using chalkboard and power point. At the end of the term students' perception was assessed on the basis of a questionnaire in Likert scale regarding lecture content, ability to take note, ability to take diagram, interesting nature of lecture, and advancement in understanding, stimulation of interest, clarity and understandability of lecture, clarity of work, audibility and on organization of lecture. Results: Favorable responses to chalkboard and power point were-informative content (72.2% & 92.6%), ability to take notes (66.67% & 79.63%), take diagram (67.6% & 71.3%), interesting nature of lecture(75% & 74.07%), advancement of student's understanding on subject (83.33% & 81.48%), stimulation of interest (77.78% & 62.96%), understandability (76.85% & 83.33%), clarity (58.33% & 85.19%), audibility (82.41% & 87.04%) and organization of presentation (79.63%&83.33%). Conclusion: Medical students preferred power point over chalk and talk in terms of its informative content, ability to take notes and clarity of the presentation. Chalkboard scored over power point in developing interest in the subject and in advancing the students' understanding on the subject. A combination of both methods could be valuable.