The effectiveness of an “experiential learning to raise awareness” communication program for first-year pharmacy students

Abstract

To improve communication skills in the “Human Communication” course at Teikyo University’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, an “experiential learning to raise awareness” program was introduced to first-year pharmacy students. Factor analysis of student’s self-evaluation of communication conducted after class extracted three factors: “interest in the other person,” “sociality,” and “communication.” Students were divided into three clusters via cluster analysis. The descriptions on the reflection sheets and self-evaluation of communication were then analyzed in each cluster. The analyses revealed that Cluster 1 realized the importance of caring for others and tried to apply what they learned to future scenarios. Cluster 2 recognized the difficulty of communication and the impact of their attitudes to listening. Finally, Cluster 3 understood the necessity of interacting with others. The results indicated that many students learned the importance of listening to others with interest through this communication program.