Perception Of Undergraduate Medical Students Regarding “Reel-Making” As An Innovative Learning Method In Ophthalmology: A cross-sectional study

Background : The perceptions and learning methods among students have been rapidly changing over the past few years and thus, there is a need for innovative teaching-learning methods to train the Indian Medical Graduates in the present day. Objectives : The study aimed to assess undergraduate medical students’ perception of reel making as an innovative teaching-learning method in ophthalmology. Materials and methods : This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among third-professional MBBS students attending ophthalmology clinics in a private medical college in South India in July-August 2024. A total of 64 students were assigned to make educational reels about cataract and myopia awareness for the general public. Their perception and experience of this innovative learning method are collected from students using a pre-validated questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale for 10 questions collected through an online survey. Data was analyzed by chi square, independent t-test and descriptive analysis. Results : 52 out of 64 (81.25%) students completed the survey. 59.6% agreed that the reel-making activity evoked more interest in learning, 43.3% strongly agreed that it was a fascinating activity, 50% strongly agreed that it perked their interest, 44.2% strongly agreed that they liked the idea of innovative learning, and 46.2% strongly felt they would recommend this method to others. Many students used the word “fun” when describing their experience. Conclusions : Innovative teaching through reel-making activity was not only found to spark interest but was also reported to be an enjoyable learning experience among students, and thus could be used as a useful innovative method in medical education.