Dosage form science courses cover intricate pharmaceutical concepts concerning formulation design and drug delivery systems. This discipline requires students to integrate knowledge from chemistry, biology and physics, making it difficult to grasp all the principles simultaneously. As a faculty member at CUHK School of Pharmacy, I recognise the need for more interactive teaching methods. The complexity of the concepts, combined with current teacher-centred approaches, can diminish students’ intrinsic motivation to learn. The importance of student engagement became more apparent as a result of the difficulties brought about by remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, when students might log in but remain disengaged or distracted.

To address these challenges, I developed online courseware that includes micromodules, self-assessment quizzes and pharmaceutical formulation-based case studies with feedback (figure 1). Micromodules are concise learning units that allow students to review material at their own pace, promoting self-directed learning. The online self-assessed quizzes offer immediate feedback, helping students to quickly identify and address knowledge gaps (Thomas et al., 2017). I also implemented a flipped classroom approach using problem-based learning (PBL), by which students address real-life problems through self-directed learning and group work to enhance student engagement (Barrows & Tamblyn, 1980; Cotič & Zuljan, 2009; Hou et al., 2023).

Figure 1. An example of a micromodule, self-assessment quizzes and case-study scenarios developed for the courseware

About two months before the full launch, I conducted a pilot run of the courseware with six Year 3 students who had taken the course the previous year. A focus group interview gathered their experiences and preferences and identified technical issues. Students highlighted strengths and areas for improvement, which were incorporated into the courseware before the new academic year. For example, they found visual aids – such as graphs, tables, diagrams and illustrations – more effective for learning than text alone, but noted issues with small font sizes and dense content. Opinions on case studies were mixed: some found them challenging yet beneficial for post-lecture review, while others preferred using them flexibly based on their learning styles. Most students felt that additional guidance would help them to navigate case studies effectively.

In the new academic year, the courseware was implemented for 51 Year 2 students. To motivate student engagement, flipped classroom activities, accounting for 10 per cent of the in-course assessment, were integrated. The flipped class started with a five-minute pre-quiz to evaluate students’ ability to recall self-study content. This was followed by a 50-minute small group PBL discussion and a post-PBL discussion quiz to evaluate students’ ability to solve a new case using courseware and group discussions. The session concluded with a question-and-answer session to clarify doubts about incorrectly answered questions.

‘Most students agreed that the courseware helped them to relate pharmaceutical science knowledge to drug product design, and that this knowledge would be useful for exams and future clinical practice.’

To evaluate the effectiveness of the courseware in enhancing knowledge, a post-activity survey using a 5-point Likert scale was done, alongside open-ended questions about students’ experience in group work during flipped class activities. Overall, feedback was positive. Most students agreed that the courseware helped them to relate pharmaceutical science knowledge to drug product design, and that this knowledge would be useful for exams and future clinical practice. They found group work beneficial for solving open-ended questions, leveraging their strengths in different topics. Many students scored over 85 per cent on the pre-quiz and post-quiz, suggesting that the courseware and flipped class activities facilitated learning. This finding inspires me to explore integrating emerging technologies, such as virtual reality simulations and artificial intelligence, with micromodules and flipped classrooms to further enhance interactivity and engagement.

I am motivated to engage in pedagogic research to enhance my teaching techniques and advance my career. However, balancing teaching responsibilities with research is challenging, especially as a new teaching professional in Pharmacy. To continue doing research along with teaching , I have started allocating funding to recruit support staff, and have begun collaborating with experienced educational researchers for mentorship. Additionally, I have joined the Education Research special interest group in the Teaching and Learning Community of Practice at CUHK to gain insights from professional development workshops and to network with like-minded colleagues.

References

Barrows, H. S., & Tamblyn, R. M. (1980). Problem-based learning: An approach to medical education. Springer Publishing Company.

Cotič, M., & Zuljan, M. V. (2009). Problem‐based instruction in mathematics and its impact on the cognitive results of the students and on affective‐motivational aspects. Educational Studies, 35(3), 297–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055690802648085

Hou, H., Zhang, H., & Wang, Y. (2023). Flipped micro-modules for teaching sustainable engineering practices. Education Sciences, 13(8), 784. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13080784

Thomas, J. A., Wadsworth, D., Jin, Y., Clarke, J., Page, R., & Thunders, M. (2017). Engagement with online self-tests as a predictor of student success. Higher Education Research and Development, 36(5), 1061–1071. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1263827