Journal of dental education
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Dental anatomy carving computer-assisted instruction program: an assessment of student performance and perceptions.
The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of students exposed to two different instructional modalities for dental anatomy wax carving: CAI (computer-assisted instruction) using DVD technology, or traditional laboratory instruction. Students' self-assessment scores were also compared to faculty scores, and students' perceptions of their teaching modality were analyzed. Seventy-three first-year dental students (response rate 81 percent) participated in this randomized single blind trial, in which faculty graders were blinded to student group assignment. ⋯ Similar percentages of students in the traditional group had either favorable or unfavorable perceptions of their learning experience, while more students in the DVD-only group reported favorable perceptions. Students from both groups said they wanted more faculty feedback in the course. Based on these objective and subjective data, merging CAI and traditional laboratory teaching may best enhance student learning needs.
-
The topic of curriculum reform has received an enormous amount of attention in the field of dental education. While recently established dental schools benefit from the evolution of curriculum change and innovation in constructing their new curricula, these advantages can become lost if the curriculum is not assessed to ascertain the degree to which the curriculum accurately reflects the initial intended goals. The purpose of this educational research project was to evaluate a dental school curriculum to determine the extent of vertical and horizontal integration originally intended. ⋯ Dental school year 4 courses mapped to the highest levels of integration, while no courses were assigned to the lowest level (fragment or silo model). All courses were found to have at least some level of integration. More than half (n=43) were found to be both horizontally and vertically integrated.
-
Comparative Study
Examining the role of collaborative assessment in a didactic dental hygiene course.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a technique known as collaborative assessment considering students' and faculty members' perceptions of the value and utility of this approach. Twenty-eight dental hygiene students took eight individual assessments (quizzes) immediately followed by completion of the same assessment in a five-member peer group as part of a didactic dental hygiene course. At the end of the semester, student perceptions and course performance were examined. ⋯ Concerns for fairness and individual accountability were noted by both students and faculty. The mean group score for all quizzes combined (M=91 percent, SD=2 percent) was significantly higher by 16 percentage points (91 percent versus 75 percent) than the mean individual score for all quizzes combined (M=75 percent, SD=8 percent), t(27)=11.61, alpha =.05, p<.0005. This study suggests that additional measures are needed to ensure individual preparation and accountability when using the collaborative assessment process as a learning strategy with dental hygiene students.