Comparative evaluation of perceptions of dental students to three methods of teaching in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization in 1994 recommended that dental education should be problem based, socially and culturally relevant, and community oriented.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the perceptions of Pre-phase II (pre-clinical II) dental students on three methods of teaching used during two academic sessions.

METHODS: All part IV dental students in two consecutive sessions undergoing pre phase II course in the Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife were recruited into the study. Three different modes of teaching that is, Problem based learning (PBL), hybrid PBL and traditional teaching were used to teach the students. A twenty two itemed anonymous questionnaire on a five point Likert scale was administered to the students at the end of the course. Six perceived factors were extracted from the questionnaire using factor analysis.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) between the overall mean of PBL method compared to the other methods of teaching. The perceived factor "communication with peers" had the highest mean score for PBL in both sessions (4.57 ± 0.58 and 4.09 ± 0.93 respectively). However, PBL method was very helpful in all the six perceived factors while the students perceived that the traditional method of teaching was not helpful in "interaction with tutors" and "challenge to critical thinking".

CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that students preferred the PBL method to other forms of teaching. PBL enhanced the students' communication skill, was very useful as pedagogic tool and improved their critical thinking.