ATTITUDE AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS IN RESEARCH-CENTERED TEACHING METHOD

Man's instinct for exploring is the most natural way to enhance motivation and, consequently, cognition. In the research-centered teaching method, developed after many y ears of teaching experience, the principles mentioned in textbooks are not presented directly instead, the lecture begins by posing an initial question about how scientists have discovered a certain principle. Students are encouraged to explore a way to reach the answer and voluntarily suggest a proposal. The lecturer refines their views from scientific, methodological and ethical aspects, guides their thoughts towards a conclusion, and introduces their proposals' related references. The session then continues with customary lecturing. This investigation-which was carried out to evaluate the effects of the initial research-centered teaching stage in the beginning of every session-assessed the medical student's attitudes by using a questionnaire, and their knowledge by taking an examination including a test exam, research essay and class attentiveness from 1993-95. The results indicated that 84.3% of the 562 students obviously preferred the research-centered method to a customary way to lecturing. Statistical analyses were carried out on students' attitude variables in cognition, enthusiasm, anxiety, and not interested categories. It was concluded that cognition is in favour of the research-centered method which, by way of exploratory thinking is related to increased enthusiasm among the students (p= 0.001). Mean scores for research exam and class attentiveness were also higher in this group compared with those who chose only customary lecturing (p<0.05).