An active learning assignment to improve pharmacy students’ knowledge of herbal medicine

Medicinal plant courses represent an essential part of the applied sciences component in the curriculum of pharmacy education in Egypt. One of the intended learning outcomes of these courses is to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the theory and practice of herbal medicine. The aim of the current work was to improve pharmacy students' knowledge and understanding of the herbs used for medicinal purposes. The students, in groups, conducted direct interviews with staff members of the university using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions about medicinal herbs used by the participants, purpose for use, method of preparation, and sources to obtain. The educational impact of this assignment was evaluated by a questionnaire distributed to the participated students. The majority of students agreed that carrying out the assignment helped them in improving their knowledge and understudying about medicinal herbs. Moreover, their oral communications skills were improved. The described active-learning assignment offered a great opportunity for the students to improve their communication skills and to gain knowledge about the commonly used medicinal herbs in their community.