Perceptions of Dental Teachers about Blended Learning: A Qualitative Analysis.

OBJECTIVE

This qualitative study was conducted to explore the perceptions of dental teachers about utilizing blended learning (BL) in undergraduate teaching following the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives were to study their willingness to move to BL and to identify the reasons for their willingness or lack thereof for this transition.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This descriptive qualitative study is part of doctoral research that was conducted among health sciences teachers from the state of Maharashtra, India. The population for this study included all dental teachers from the 38 dental colleges in the state. To ensure proper representation of teachers, a proportionate stratified sampling method was used. The research tool used in this study was developed and validated, and data collection was conducted online using SurveyMonkey.

RESULTS

The results showed that 137 (97.16%) teachers were inclined toward utilizing BL. Thematic analysis of the responses received was carried out using NVivo software. Around 10 main emergent themes were identified, which were grouped under four key areas. The majority of the dental teachers were appreciative of the benefits of BL in terms of accessibility, flexibility, and learner engagement, but some preferred traditional teaching methods.

CONCLUSION

For the dental teachers to continue with BL in instruction, there is a need to empower them faculty development programs for successful adaptation to technology-enhanced instruction and to overcome the limitations and challenges associated with technology integration in education. The transformation from traditional face-to-face to technology-enhanced BL seems to be a worthwhile opportunity for future dental education.

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE

Lele G, Sikdar M. Perceptions of Dental Teachers about Blended Learning: A Qualitative Analysis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(5):532-538.