Conventional teaching remains effective in teaching medical biochemistry in BPKIHS, Nepal, although students enjoy supplementary computer teaching

• Published in: Biochemistry and molecular biology education Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 137 - 141
• Main Authors: Koner, B. C., Lamsal, M., Banerjee, B. D., Baralb, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2001
• Subjects: Computer‐aided learning; Facilitator; MHC; Structure‐function relationship; Subject expert
• ISSN: 1470-8175; 1539-3429
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-3429.2001.tb00099.x

A computer program down loaded from the Internet was used as a tutorial to teach the structure‐function relationship of MHC molecule to MBBS students of BPKIHS, a medical college in Nepal. The computer‐aided teaching session, with a facilitator from the biochemistry faculty, was found to be more interesting to the students although learning outcomes were not enhanced by comparison to sessions using only conventional tools. A non‐subject expert presenting the computer tutorial failed to generate interest in the topic, and the achievement of learning objectives by the students was inferior. We conclude that the interaction with a biochemistry subject expert was crucial for success in our use of computer‐aided teaching sessions on the structure‐function relationship of proteins. The results are discussed with attention to the role of computer‐aided instruction in medical colleges in a developing country (Nepal). © 2001 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.