Enhancing Teaching Competencies through Microteaching: An Observer-Based Evaluation of Medical Faculty

Abstract

Background: Microteaching is a well-established teacher training technique designed to improve instructional skills through focused, repetitive teaching practice and constructive feedback. It allows educators to refine specific teaching behaviors in a controlled, low-stress environment before applying them in real classroom settings. This study aimed to assess the impact of microteaching sessions on enhancing the teaching performance of faculty members by evaluating improvements estimated by observers. Methods: This one-sample quasi-experimental study was conducted from July 2016 to June 2017, in four government medical colleges—Dhaka Medical College, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Rajshahi Medical College, and Jessore Medical College—and one medical university, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka. The study subjects were 31 selected medical teachers who participated using mixed sampling techniques—convenience sampling for institute selection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, with both descriptive and inferential statistics, including paired and independent t-tests. Result: Evaluations across 24 teaching competencies showed marked enhancement in lesson planning, classroom engagement, content delivery, use of teaching aids, communication skills, student interaction, classroom management, and feedback. Notably, the proportion of teachers achieving the highest level of performance increased dramatically in key areas such as presenting objectives (6.45% to 83.87%), gaining attention (9.68% to 64.52%), and encouraging student participation (12.90% to 90.32%). Conclusion: Microteaching is a highly effective and innovative technique aimed at enhancing the quality of a teacher's presentation and overall teaching ability. It plays a significant role in building the teacher’s confidence and encourages self-assessment. Beyond technical skills, microteaching also fosters essential personal and professional qualities in medical educators, such as developing a more approachable attitude toward students and colleagues, increasing awareness of the importance of improving computer skills, and encouraging better time management and communication for enhanced classroom performance.