Using the Triple Taxonomy Technique (TTT) in Teaching Medical Students: A Way to Optimize the Learning and Teaching Process

Abstract

Background: Traditional teaching methods such as case-based learning (CBL) are widely used in medical education to develop clinical reasoning. However, these methods often lack a structured integration of different cognitive levels, which may limit their effectiveness in fostering higher-order thinking. The triple taxonomy technique (TTT) is a structured approach designed to address this gap by explicitly incorporating the three levels of Bloom’s taxonomy — remembering, interpretation, and problem-solving — into the learning process. Objectives: In this study, we investigated students’ views about the usefulness of this method in the learning and teaching process. Methods: This study was conducted from 2022 to 2024 in five stages: (1) Designing a case about the lesson with some options and blank spaces (a well-known method of replacing correct words in the blanks), based on three levels of "recall", "interpretation", and "problem-solving"; (2) holding practice sessions with the target students; (3) answering the case by students within a specified time; (4) providing feedback by the teacher; (5) asking the students for their opinion about the quality of learning, via an electronic questionnaire. In this study, the opinions of 512 students were evaluated after teaching with this method. Results: Of the 512 students, 92.5% agreed with this technique and found it effective in their learning, while only 7.5% were neutral or did not agree (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Based on the results of this research, from the students’ point of view, this case-based approach is a very effective method for their learning process, especially in properly using knowledge, strengthening the activities of higher cognition levels like data interpretation and analysis, decision-making, and problem-solving.