Dental Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA.
College of Dental Medicine, Associate Dean Emeritus, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA.
J Dent Educ. 2021 May;85(5):679-689. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12517. Epub 2020 Dec 24.
The purpose of this study is to measure how the implementation of an online, preclinical hybrid curriculum impacts dental student clinic readiness, the outcomes of grades, critical thinking skills, and student and faculty perceptions respectively.
This longitudinal comparative and descriptive study used objective data and subjective (survey) data for 4 dental class cohorts. Groups A and B experienced a traditional lecture-based curriculum, while Groups C and D experienced a hybrid curriculum that was lecture-free and implemented active learning. The Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT), an objective assessment, was used to measure students' critical thinking skills.
Dental student outcomes have either remained steady or improved with the transition to a new hybrid curriculum. According to the student and faculty survey results, the hybrid curriculum promoted student learning, independence, critical thinking, initiative and self-motivation, and clinic practice readiness. Group C (N = 68) Total Online Platform mean scores demonstrated a significant and moderately strong correlation with the preclinical course mean grades (r = 0.68, P = 0.00). Group D HSRT (n = 63) for Attempt 1 (end of year 1) and Attempt 2 (end of Year 2) paired T test resulted in HSRT Overall (mean difference = -2.27, SD = 7.21, t = -2.5, P = 0.02) for the second preclinical year.
The hybrid curricular approach afforded many benefits. Faculty took an active role in imparting knowledge when compared to the lecture hall. Having students immersed in continual assessment through an online adaptive platform and active learning promoted self-motivation, deeper learning, applied knowledge, and discouraged superficial memorization.
本研究旨在衡量在线临床前混合课程的实施如何分别影响牙科学生的临床准备情况、成绩结果、批判性思维技能以及学生和教师的看法。
本纵向比较和描述性研究使用了 4 个牙科班级队列的客观数据和主观（调查）数据。A 组和 B 组经历了传统的基于讲座的课程，而 C 组和 D 组经历了无讲座的混合课程，并实施了主动学习。使用健康科学推理测试（HSRT）作为客观评估来衡量学生的批判性思维技能。
随着向新的混合课程的过渡，牙科学生的成绩要么保持稳定，要么有所提高。根据学生和教师的调查结果，混合课程促进了学生的学习、独立性、批判性思维、主动性和自我激励以及临床实践准备。C 组（N = 68）总在线平台平均分数与临床前课程平均分数呈显著且中度强相关（r = 0.68，P = 0.00）。D 组（n = 63）HSRT 的第一尝试（第 1 年结束时）和第二尝试（第 2 年结束时）配对 T 检验结果显示，第 2 年的 HSRT 总体（平均差异= -2.27，SD = 7.21，t = -2.5，P = 0.02）。
混合课程方法带来了许多好处。与讲座厅相比，教师在传授知识方面发挥了积极作用。让学生通过在线自适应平台和主动学习不断接受评估，促进了自我激励、深度学习、应用知识，并防止了肤浅的记忆。
