Interactive teaching in oral medicine and periodontology: Lessons learned from students' experience
Objectives: Interactive educational strategies are aimed to promote critical thinking of students to become lifelong learners. This study was conducted to assess students' perceptions about implementing these strategies in the course content and in teaching and assessment methods.
Materials and Methods: Case-based learning, role playing, and group assignments together with formative self-assessment rubrics and simulated cases were implemented in Oral Medicine and Periodontology courses in a public dental school. Problem solving questions and case based multiple choice questions were also used for assessment. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based analysis was used to assess students' perceptions these modifications.
Results: A total of 274 students completed the questionnaire giving a response rate of (36.53%). Highest percentage of students preferred interactive sessions (66.1%), followed by tutorial session and group activities (60.9%), pre-reading activities (54%) and online classrooms (46.4%). Majority of the students (63.9%) agreed that problem-based learning improved their critical thinking, while, (30.7%) agreed that teaching methods were interesting and (25.9%) were self-motivated to study.
Conclusions: The results provided positive feedback of students about the active learning methods. All instructors in dental education should be motivated and trained to implement interactive strategies in their clinical courses and to encourage students to participate in learning activities.