Promoting minority student learning gains in a prescription practice course

Minorities are under-represented in pharmacy and other health care professions in the United States. To increase the representation of traditionally underserved minorities, interventions focused on improving learning outcomes in higher education are needed. Keller's Personalized System of Instruction (the Keller method) is an instructional intervention that has produced positive learning gains, particularly for students who are less academically prepared. To assess the impact of the Keller method in promoting minority student learning gains, a variation of the method was implemented in a Prescription Practice course at a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The purpose of this study was to determine whether implementation of the Keller method would create a learning environment where minorities “close the gap” in learning outcomes through achievement of improved learning gains. In addition, this study explored faculty's and students' perceptions about the Keller method. The study demonstrated that underprepared minority students achieved learning outcomes surpassing those of nonminorities. The Keller method should be considered as a possible intervention to promote improved learning outcomes within pharmacy education programs.