Teaching/supervision and assessment methods

Dr. Salah Al Shehade

Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA)

Senior Lecturer • Pharmacology & Toxicology

PhD Pharmacology (USM) • M.Sc. Pharmaceutical Sciences (UOP) • B.Pharm (ZUJ)

KOMPONEN 2 - Kaedah Pengajaran / Penyeliaan dan Penilaian

A. Strategi Pengajaran dan Penyeliaan Teaching and Supervision Strategies

Pernyataan Strategi (Strategy Statement)

My teaching philosophy is grounded in student-centred, active learning approaches tailored to pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacology education. Drawing from my dual expertise in computational drug discovery and experimental pharmacology, I design courses so that students engage with real-world clinical and pharmaceutical problems, build critical thinking skills, and develop both theoretical understanding and practical competence essential for pharmacy practice.

The following four core methodologies form the backbone of my instructional strategy, applied individually or in combination depending on course learning outcomes (CLOs), student readiness, and the demands of pharmaceutical education standards set by the Malaysian Pharmacy Board and MQA.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

Students work in small groups on authentic pharmaceutical and clinical case scenarios - including drug interaction cases, NAFLD patient management, structure-activity relationship (SAR) puzzles, and toxicology risk assessments. This cultivates higher-order thinking skills (KBAT) as students must analyse pharmacological data, synthesise drug mechanism knowledge, and evaluate therapeutic options.

Flipped Classroom

Pre-recorded video lectures on pharmacology mechanisms, drug metabolism pathways, and medicinal chemistry concepts are assigned before class, freeing face-to-face time for interactive case discussions, drug counselling simulations, and hands-on activities. This maximises productive contact hours in content-heavy pharmacy curricula.

Blended Learning

A structured mix of synchronous (face-to-face / live online) and asynchronous (LMS-based tasks, discussion forums, self-paced modules) delivery. The UniSZA KeLIP / Moodle platform hosts pharmacology case studies, interactive quizzes, molecular visualisation exercises, and collaborative activities.

Laboratory-Based Learning

Students gain hands-on experience in pharmaceutical laboratories including computational drug design (AutoDock, PyMOL, GROMACS), in vitro assays (cell culture, ELISA, flow cytometry), drug formulation, and quality control testing. Lab sessions bridge pharmacological theory to research practice.

Kerangka Perancangan dan Pelaksanaan (Planning & Implementation Framework)

Each course follows a systematic cycle to ensure alignment between learning outcomes, delivery, and assessment:

Analyse CLOs & Student Profile → Select Pedagogy Mix → Design Materials → Deliver & Facilitate → Assess & Reflect

B. Strategi Penilaian Assessment Strategies

Pernyataan Strategi Penilaian

Assessment is designed to be continuous, authentic, and aligned with course learning outcomes. I employ a balanced mix of formative and summative instruments. Rubrics are shared with students at the start of each assessment to promote transparency and self-regulation.

1 Continuous Assessment (60%) - Quizzes, assignments, lab reports, PBL group presentations, journal article critiques, and online discussion participation. Distributed across the semester with rubric-based grading.
2 Final Examination (40%) - Structured and essay questions designed to test application and analysis-level thinking (Bloom's Taxonomy C3–C5), including clinical pharmacology case-based questions.
3 Project-Based Assessment - Mini-research projects such as computational docking of drug candidates, systematic review proposals, or formulation design projects. Assessed via written reports and oral presentations using detailed rubrics.
4 Practical / Laboratory Assessment - Graded lab reports, viva voce, and computational/experimental project outputs assessed against predefined rubric criteria.
5 Peer & Self-Assessment - Integrated into PBL modules. Students evaluate their own and peers' contributions using structured rubrics, fostering reflective practice.

C. Senarai Kursus dan Bilangan Pelajar Course List and Student Enrolment

Kod Kursus Nama Kursus Semester Peringkat Bil. Pelajar Kaedah
[Code] Pharmacology I Sem 1, 2025/26 Sarjana Muda [No.] PBL Flipped
[Code] Pharmacology II Sem 1, 2025/26 Sarjana Muda [No.] Blended PBL
[Code] Toxicology Sem 1, 2025/26 Sarjana Muda [No.] Flipped Lab
[Code] Pharmacology & Toxicology Lab Sem 2, 2024/25 Sarjana Muda [No.] Lab PBL
[Code] Advanced Drug Design / Computational Pharmacology Sem 1, 2025/26 Sarjana (Master) [No.] PBL Lab

* Sila kemaskini kod kursus dan bilangan pelajar sebenar / Please update with actual course codes and student numbers.

D. Data Penyeliaan Pelajar Student Supervision Data

[N]
PhD
(Completed / Ongoing)
[N]
Master's
(Completed / Ongoing)
[N]
Sarjana Muda
(FYP)
[N]
Jumlah
(Total)
Peringkat Nama Pelajar Tajuk Penyelidikan Peranan Status
PhD [Student Name] [e.g., Computational identification of novel NAFLD drug targets] Penyelia Utama Ongoing
[Student Name] [e.g., QSAR modelling for FXR receptor agonist prediction] Penyelia Bersama Ongoing
Master's [Student Name] [e.g., MD simulation of NTCP ligands for MAFLD] Penyelia Utama Ongoing
[Student Name] [e.g., Structure-based design of novel FXR agonists] Penyelia Utama Ongoing
Sarjana Muda (FYP) [Student Name] [e.g., In silico screening of phytochemicals against liver fibrosis targets] Penyelia Completed
[Student Name] [e.g., KAP towards ADR reporting in Malaysia] Penyelia Ongoing

* Sila kemaskini nama pelajar dan tajuk sebenar.

E. Kesejajaran Kaedah dengan Hasil Pembelajaran Alignment of Methods with Learning Outcomes

Kaedah Aras Kognitif (Bloom's) PLO Addressed Penilaian Berkaitan
PBL C4 – C6 (Analyse, Evaluate, Create) PLO 2, PLO 5, PLO 7 Group case report, Oral presentation, Peer assessment rubric
Flipped Classroom C2 – C4 (Understand, Apply, Analyse) PLO 1, PLO 3 In-class quiz, Clinical case discussion, Reflective journal
Blended Learning C1 – C4 (Remember to Analyse) PLO 1, PLO 2, PLO 6 Online quiz, Forum participation, Drug mechanism assignment
Lab-Based C3 – C6 (Apply, Analyse, Evaluate, Create) PLO 3, PLO 4, PLO 8 Lab report with rubric, Practical exam, Computational project output

F. Hubungan Penyelidikan dan Pengajaran Research-Teaching Nexus

My active research programme in computational pharmacology, QSAR modelling, molecular docking, and systems pharmacology directly enriches my teaching through:

  • Live demonstrations using AutoDock, PyMOL, and GROMACS during lab sessions, drawn from ongoing drug discovery projects (e.g., NAFLD target identification, FXR receptor agonist design).
  • Case studies based on published research - including my work on Orthosiphon aristatus in NAFLD, network pharmacology of Carica papaya against dengue, and NTCP ligand optimisation for MAFLD treatment.
  • Student research projects utilising the InSilicoΣ platform (APPAS, NEXUM tools) developed by my research lab.
  • Workshops conducted on molecular docking and network pharmacology in drug discovery, open to both students and external participants.

Portfolio Pensyarah • Dr. Salah Al Shehade • Faculty of Pharmacy, UniSZA • Komponen 2: Kaedah Pengajaran / Penyeliaan dan Penilaian • Dikemaskini: April 2026

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