Sustainable instructional design in pharmacy education: a case study on enhancing student engagement and learning

Designing pharmaceutical assignments in this era of AI technology requires meaningful, active student engagement to foster creativity, higher-order thinking, and effective communication skills. Conventional assessments in pharmacy education often offer limited opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and develop critical understanding. To address this gap, an instructional innovation was introduced in a pharmaceutical course through a structured activity called Formulation Fusion: From Lab to Showcase. A total of 67 Semester 3 Diploma in Pharmacy students participated in this structured activity, which required them to complete practical sessions by preparing pharmaceutical products in the laboratory, then select their two best products and design an original hypothetical formulation for evaluation. Students subsequently translated their work into digital infographics using Canva and presented their outcomes in oral sessions designed as product pitches. To promote affordability and sustainability, students were encouraged to use low-cost and readily available materials for packaging and labelling. The result showed a statistically significant improvement in post-activity score compared to pre-activity score (Z=5.56, p<.001, r=.68), indicating enhanced understanding of formulation concepts. Most students reported that creating infographics was an engaging way to learn about pharmaceutical formulations and recommended a similar assignment for future coursework. In conclusion, this case study demonstrates that incorporating structured, affordable, and sustainable instructional activities can enhance student engagement, foster creativity, and strengthen communication skills, thus offering a replicable model for future pharmacy education.