Attitudes, Barriers, and Experiences Regarding E-Learning and Dental Education during COVID-19 Pandemic

E-learning readiness among dental students and faculty: a comparative study before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the global adoption of e-learning, even in institutions that had previous reservations. Nevertheless, the impact of this transformation on dental education remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the e-learning readiness of dental students and faculty before and after COVID-19. It also explored their post-pandemic e-learning preferences for dental education.

Methods

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted at King Abdulaziz University's Faculty of Dentistry (KAUFD) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia both before and after COVID-19. Faculty and students from two distinct cohorts were recruited at two time points. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire on e-learning readiness across multiple domains. Statistical analysis was performed using R v 3.6.3. Descriptive and group comparisons were conducted using chi-squared test, unpaired t-test, and Spearman's correlation.

Results

1,057 responses (response rate = 99.8%) were analyzed: 2015 (n = 400) and 2021 (n = 657). Both faculty and students demonstrated significant improvements in e-learning readiness across all domains from 2015 to 2021. In 2021, faculty members scored significantly higher than students in almost all readiness domains, except for e-learning experience (p < 0.001 for all domains). After the pandemic, both groups preferred a blended learning model: 75% traditional and 25% online education. A significant increase in typing and editing training requests by faculty and students was observed in 2021. Students showed a decline in training needs for web and online tool usage.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the rapid adoption of e-learning in dental education. In this study, faculty showed greater e-learning readiness, but students voiced concerns about missed in-person interactions, social isolation, and screen fatigue. Further multi-institutional studies are required for more comprehensive insights.

Visualizing Anatomy in Dental Morphology Education

Tooth morphology is a foundation course for all dental healthcare students including dentists, dental hygiene, dental therapy, and dental nursing students. This chapter explores the conventional and innovative teaching methods to deliver tooth morphology educational modules. The teaching tools are explored with a 2D and 3D lens, with a particular focus on visualization, student understanding, and engagement. Traditional methods of teaching tooth morphology must be complemented with innovative pedagogical approaches in order to maintain student's attention and accommodate their diverse learning methods. Teaching 3D anatomy enables students to visualize and spatially comprehend the link between various anatomical components. Online tests and quizzes motivate students and are also beneficial in preparing students for exams. Online self-examinations offering visualization with 3D teeth enable students to evaluate their knowledge and offers immediate feedback, which aids in the long-term retention of information. These tools can be as efficient as other teaching methods, allowing the students to study at their own pace and with repetition. The authors conclude that blended and innovative teaching methods should supplement student learning and not replace, traditional face-to-face educational methods.

Dental Students' Perception of Integrating E-learning During COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Saudi University

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess dental students' perceptions and overall experiences regarding e-learning at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2020 through March 2021. A pre-structured, self-administered questionnaire was emailed to undergraduate dental students (second year through sixth year and dental interns). The final sample included 296 undergraduate dental students and interns. Univariate analysis was done to report the sample characteristics. Chi-square and Fisher exact with Monte Carlo were conducted to evaluate the preference of students regarding e-learning across characteristics of the study sample.

RESULTS

The majority of students preferred to integrate e-learning into traditional classroom lectures, although 51.7% did not favor it for clinical subjects. More than half of the sample believed that e-learning allowed excellent interactivity with the instructors. A higher percentage of second-year students preferred traditional learning (71%) than students in other years who preferred a combination of both traditional and online learning (P-value < 0.001). The mode of learning is not associated with marital status, though 36.4% of married students prefer e-learning (P-value = 0.4). Most dental students considered e-learning a positive experience.

CONCLUSION

There were significant differences in the mode of learning preference between the preclinical and clinical years. Continuous monitoring of learners' needs, challenges, and outcomes is crucial to effectively evaluate e-learning in dental education.

Sustainable Distance Online Educational Process for Dental Students during COVID-19 Pandemic

In this study, we evaluated the perception of distance online learning in undergraduate dental students in two different European countries during the second lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic to explore sustainable undergraduate educational and examination e-learning forms. Dental students from Dental school of Athens, National and Kapodistrian university of Athens (N1_3rd preclinical year = 131, N2_4th clinical year = 119) and Dental school of Copenhagen (3rd preclinical year N3 = 85) completed the mixed-designed Dental e-Learning process Questionnaire (DeLQ) distributed in a google form. Responses to closed-ended questions were collected on a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were applied, and non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to examine student groups. N1 (90% strongly agree) students reported that “e-learning is a suitable education method for theory in dentistry” at a significant level and more often than N2 (43% strongly disagree). N1 and N2 students strongly agreed that they preferred face-to-face teaching rather than distance e-learning. A relatively low number of N1 (31%) students believed that e-learning prepares them sufficiently for their practical training while none of the (0%) N2 cohort agreed. A low percentage of students in both years (N1 = 31%, N2 = 23%) believed that e-learning prepared them for their exams. Additionally, N1 = 60% and N2 = 66% preferred hybrid learning. Only 26% (N1) and 19.5% (N2) desired e-learning to continue after the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half of the participants believed the online exam model to be unreliable (N1 = 49%, N2 = 43%). Overall, students considered distance e-learning as an educational method applicable only to theoretical lessons. However, the lack of physical communication and interaction in distance learning led students to prefer a blended method. Students of the two faculties seemed to agree on many points, but there were also specific differences attributable to the differences in the programs and educational culture of the two countries.