Impact of Remedial Teaching for Low Achievers in Pharmacology to Improve their Academic Performance

Introduction: Remedial teaching helps in finding specific learning difficulties and provides suitable remedial measures and support to prevent them in future; thus resolving learning difficulties in low achievers. Aim: To identify the reasons for low achievement of the students in pharmacology and also to assess the effectiveness of remedial teaching. Materials and Methods: It was a quasi experimental study (Pre-test Post-test design) conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, SMIMS among fifth semester-low achieving students of the additional batch, for a period of three months. Eleven students whose score were <60% in the fourth semester exam were selected and administered a questionnaire format which contained 20 statements regarding the curricular and non-curricular causes for their low performance. The responses were analysed on a 5 point Likert scale. Pre-test, Remedial teaching (using class assignments) and Post-test were conducted and finally statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Results: Poor performance in low achievers in Pharmacology was found to be mainly due to curricular causes. There was statistically significant difference (p-value <0.05) between Pre-test and post-test for assignments. There was also significant difference between fourth sessional and send up marks after remedial teaching. Conclusion: Remedial teaching helps low achievers to score better. Implementing this program right from the beginning will help low achievers to improve their academic performance.