A constructivist method for teaching concentration calculations to pharmacy students

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.