A constructivist method for teaching concentration calculations to pharmacy students

Hannah Batchelor*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Concentration calculations are recognised as a general weakness in pharmacy undergraduate students, yet this is a crucial skill for a practising pharmacist. A constructivist environment encourages students to use their prior knowledge for better understanding of theories including mathematical concepts. This study compares the use of a constructivist environment to teach concentration calculations to a traditional, lecture-based course. The constructivist method used team work to develop competence and understanding of a series of relevant questions and measured individual and group understanding. Student competence following this constructivist course was similar to competence following a traditional lecture-based course. However, students indicated that they preferred learning within the constructivist environment compared to traditional lectures.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)69-76
Number of pages8
JournalPharmacy Education
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Mar 2007

Keywords

  • Concentration
  • Constructivism
  • Converting units
  • Mathematics
  • Medication errors

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