ASSESSMENT OF COMPREHENSION LEVEL OF STUDENTS AFTER INTERVENTION OF NPAM AND CONVENTIONAL TEACHING TECHNIQUES
*Dr. Pradnya Deepak Dandekar and Dr. Deepak R. Dandekar
ABSTRACT
Background: In present scenario, different & innovative teaching
methods are required to accelerate learning process. Students’ active
participation in learning process enhances their interest in learning.
Teacher has to work as facilitator for learning process. Near peer
assisted mentoring (NPAM) is new strategy where students as near
peer assist juniors in learning process during their learning phase. With
this reference the present study was undertaken to study whether this
near peer assisted mentoring help the first year students to enhance
their comprehension level as compare to conventional teaching
techniques. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of near-peer assisted
mentoring (NPAM) on academic development of the students to
analyze the learning gain by assessing comprehension level of the
students Material & Method: All the newly admitted students (n=60)
to the first year course were selected for the study as mentees and five students of second
year were selected as mentors on criteria basis. All mentees taught the topic & were randomly
divided into two groups Group A & Group B. Group A had given NPAM intervention &
Group B had given handouts to study. Both the groups exposed to Pre & Post test. This test
was framed as per Bloom’s taxonomy levels of cognitive domain from lower skills to higher
level skills. Observation & Results: It shows highly effectiveness (0.73) in the gain of
marks in intervention group. Conclusion: NPAM appears to foster learning of critical
thinking & problem solving skill in small groups, providing opportunity for deeper
exploration of the concepts as compare to conventional methods of teaching.
Keywords: Near-peer assisted mentoring, NPAM, Bloom’s taxonomy, conventional teaching.
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