MyMedR

Ten maxims for creating a safe learning environment

Prashanti E, Ramnarayan K

Adv Physiol Educ, 2020 Dec 01;44(4):550-553.

PMID: 32880485 DOI: 10.1152/advan.00085.2020

To foster a milieu in which student learning can be optimum, teachers need to be aware of the attributes of a safe learning environment. This is the space created in the students' minds to seamlessly promote learning. The 10 maxims, presented in this paper, are the cornerstones, nay, the capstones, for making this happen.

Fulltext Covido-pedago-phobia

Eachempati P, Ramnarayan K

Med Educ, 2020 08;54(8):678-680.

PMID: 32473029 DOI: 10.1111/medu.14257

Fulltext Ten maxims of formative assessment

Prashanti E, Ramnarayan K

Adv Physiol Educ, 2019 Jun 01;43(2):99-102.

PMID: 30835147 DOI: 10.1152/advan.00173.2018

In an era that is seemingly saturated with standardized tests of all hues and stripes, it is easy to forget that assessments not only measure the performance of students, but also consolidate and enhance their learning. Assessment for learning is best elucidated as a process by which the assessment information can be used by teachers to modify their teaching strategies while students adjust and alter their learning approaches. Effectively implemented, formative assessments can convert classroom culture to one that resonates with the triumph of learning. In this paper, we present 10 maxims that show ways that formative assessments can be better understood, appreciated, and implemented.

Ten maxims for out of class learning to outclass the academic challenges of COVID-19

Eachempati P, Ramnarayan K

MedEdPublish (2016), 2020;9:89.

PMID: 38058877 DOI: 10.15694/mep.2020.000089.1

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities world over are aggressively moving their learning, teaching and assessment to online platforms. Educators suddenly feel unsettled, unprepared and unsupported. This inevitable segue from a traditional to online environment will need faculty to grapple quickly and efficiently with the technological imperatives. The purpose of this article is to present ten maxims to navigate the academic challenges posed by out of class learning. The article includes a user-friendly checklist to facilitate the blooming of online teachers.

Fulltext Enhancing active learning in microbiology through case based learning: experiences from an Indian medical school

Ciraj AM, Vinod P, Ramnarayan K

Indian J Pathol Microbiol, 2010 Oct-Dec;53(4):729-33.

PMID: 21045402 DOI: 10.4103/0377-4929.72058

Case-based learning (CBL) is an interactive student-centered exploration of real life situations. This paper describes the use of CBL as an educational strategy for promoting active learning in microbiology.

Self-directed learning

Abraham RR, Upadhya S, Ramnarayan K

Adv Physiol Educ, 2005 Jun;29(2):135-6.

PMID: 15905163

Peer-guided cooperative learning enhances the performance of refresher students

Torke S, Abraham RR, Ramnarayan K, Upadhya S

Adv Physiol Educ, 2007 Mar;31(1):118.

PMID: 17327594

Computer-assisted objective-structured practical examination: an innovative method of evaluation

Torke S, Upadhya S, Abraham RR, Ramnarayan K

Adv Physiol Educ, 2006 Mar;30(1):48-9.

PMID: 16481610

Clinically oriented physiology teaching: strategy for developing critical-thinking skills in undergraduate medical students

Abraham RR, Upadhya S, Torke S, Ramnarayan K

Adv Physiol Educ, 2004 Dec;28(1-4):102-4.

PMID: 15319191

Medicine is an applied science, interpreting evidence and applying it to real life by using clinical reasoning skills and experience. COPT (clinically oriented physiology teaching) was incorporated in physiology instruction aiming to relate the study of physiology to real-life problems, to generate enthusiasm and motivation for learning, and to demonstrate the vocational relevance of physiology among students by integrating clinical experience with teaching. COPT consisted of two elements: 1) critical-thinking questions (CTQ) and 2) clinical case studies. After a few topics were taught, CTQ and case studies were given as an assignment. Answers were discussed in the next class. Two exams, each of which contained CTQ and recall questions, were conducted, one before (exam 1) and one after (exam 2) the implementation of COPT. Analysis of student performance in the examinations revealed that the students did better in exam 2 (P < 0.0001). Feedback from students indicated that this method was useful and challenging.

Blunder Lecture--an innovative method of teaching

Satheesha NB, Somayaji SN, Ramnarayan K

Adv Physiol Educ, 2005 Jun;29(2):130-1.

PMID: 15905160

Fulltext Plugging the medical brain drain

Kamarulzaman A, Ramnarayan K, Mocumbi AO

Lancet, 2022 Oct 29;400(10362):1492-1494.

PMID: 36522198 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02087-6

Fulltext Validating the effectiveness of Clinically Oriented Physiology Teaching (COPT) in undergraduate physiology curriculum

Abraham R, Ramnarayan K, Kamath A

BMC Med Educ, 2008 Jul 24;8:40.

PMID: 18652649 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-8-40

BACKGROUND: It has been proved that basic science knowledge learned in the context of a clinical case is actually better comprehended and more easily applied by medical students than basic science knowledge learned in isolation. The present study intended to validate the effectiveness of Clinically Oriented Physiology Teaching (COPT) in undergraduate medical curriculum at Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal, India.

METHODS: COPT was a teaching strategy wherein, students were taught physiology using cases and critical thinking questions. Three batches of undergraduate medical students (n = 434) served as the experimental groups to whom COPT was incorporated in the third block (teaching unit) of Physiology curriculum and one batch (n = 149) served as the control group to whom COPT was not incorporated. The experimental group of students were trained to answer clinically oriented questions whereas the control group of students were not trained. Both the group of students undertook a block exam which consisted of clinically oriented questions and recall questions, at the end of each block.

RESULTS: Comparison of pre-COPT and post-COPT essay exam scores of experimental group of students revealed that the post-COPT scores were significantly higher compared to the pre-COPT scores. Comparison of post-COPT essay exam scores of the experimental group and control group of students revealed that the experimental group of students performed better compared to the control group. Feedback from the students indicated that they preferred COPT to didactic lectures.

CONCLUSION: The study supports the fact that assessment and teaching patterns should fall in line with each other as proved by the better performance of the experimental group of students compared to the control group. COPT was also found to be a useful adjunct to didactic lectures in teaching physiology.

Fulltext Effect of imatinib on the biochemical parameters of the reproductive function in male Swiss albino mice

Prasad AM, Ramnarayan K, Nalini K, Bairy KL

Indian J Pharmacol, 2011 Jul;43(4):389-92.

PMID: 21844991 DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.83107

BACKGROUND: Treatment of cancers with cytotoxic agents such as tyrosine kinase inhibiting drugs often, but not always, result in transient to permanent testicular dysfunction. Germ cells are important targets of many chemicals. Most of the drugs are genotoxins and induce irreversible effect on genetic makeup. These mutagenic changes are proportionally related to carcinogenesis. This is alarmingly dangerous in youth and children, since these effects last longer, affecting fertility or forming basis for carcinogenesis. There is paucity of reports on planned studies of imatinib on the testicular function. Hence, the study was planned to assess the effects of imatinib on biochemical markers of testicular functions in male Swiss albino mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Swiss albino mice were treated with imatinib and sacrificed at the end of first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth week after the last exposure to imatinib. The testis were removed, weighed, and processed for biochemical analysis.

RESULTS: The intratesticular testosterone level was significantly (P<0.001) reduced in treated groups and severe effect was observed on week 4 and 5. The intratesticular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level was significantly increased by imatinib in all treated groups up to week 5.

CONCLUSION: Imatinib does affect testosterone and LDH level significantly, but this effect is reversible once the drug is withdrawn. This finding may help the clinicians to plan and address the fertility-related issues in young patients of reproductive age who are being treated with imatinib for gastrointestinal tumors and chronic myeloid leukemia.

Concept Maps for Teaching, Training, Testing and Thinking

Eachempati P, Ramnarayan K, Ks KK, Mayya A

MedEdPublish (2016), 2020;9:171.

PMID: 38073793 DOI: 10.15694/mep.2020.000171.1

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Concept maps are evidence based pedagogical tools to fathom how meaningfully students have accomplished their learning objectives. They also give intuitive insights to improvise instruction to enable better and deeper understanding the foundations of learning. In this paper we provide an overview of concept maps and share our experiences of using concept maps for the 4 t's of education - teaching, training, testing and thinking.

Displaying all 14 publications