Educational Crossword Puzzles as A Tool for Engaging Active Learning among Undergraduate Health Professional Students

Abstract

Background and Aims: Health professional students are exposed to a vast number of terminologies and concepts within a short academic period, making it challenging to achieve sufficient practice and consistency for effective learning. This study evaluated undergraduate health professional students’ perceptions of the usefulness of crossword puzzles as an active teaching-learning strategy to reinforce scientific terminology and concepts. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional survey study included 375 health professional students who completed a crossword-puzzle learning activity in 2024. Data were collected using a pre-validated, self-structured questionnaire (content validity established by review of three subject-matter experts; internal consistency was not formally assessed) assessing four domains: student engagement, collaborative and competitive features, learning utility and effectiveness in recognizing key concepts and terminology. Results: Most students (91%) reported improved recognition of essential terms and concepts, while 85% agreed that crossword puzzles enhanced critical thinking and facilitated discussion. Additionally, 96% perceived crossword puzzles as more effective than other small-group learning methods, particularly for improving spelling accuracy and expanding scientific vocabulary. Conclusion: Crossword puzzles were positively perceived by students as an engaging, student-centered supplementary teaching strategy that may support vocabulary acquisition, conceptual understanding and engagement; controlled studies with objective learning outcomes are recommended to confirm their educational effectiveness.