Navigating the assessment landscape: Dental students' perceptions of extended-matching questions versus single-correct answers.

PURPOSE: The present study aims to evaluate students' perceptions of different types of written assessment within the context of dental materials science and to identify how various learning styles exhibited by dental students, as well as gender and ethnicity, may influence their perceptions of these assessment methods.

METHODS: The study was conducted among second-year dental students in a dental materials science class, during which students participated in a mock assessment that included extended matching questions (EMQs) and single correct answer (SCA) questions. An online questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic information, Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles Questionnaire, and 15 closed-ended questionnaire items employing a 5-point Likert scale were administered to assess students' perceptions of the assessment methods. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, and a post-hoc Bonferroni test.

RESULTS: All 70 students participated in the study with the majority being female, Chinese, and activist learners. Median total scores among various learning styles, gender, and ethnicity did not exhibit significant differences. Analysis of individual questionnaire items revealed mixed perceptions regarding EMQs. Reflectors generally held more positive perceptions of EMQs, while theorists showed the lowest total median scores toward EMQs. Most students did not prefer EMQs over SCAs, and some students expressed confusion about EMQs, especially those with a theorist learning style.

CONCLUSION: Although students generally showed good perceptions towards these assessment methods, further research is needed to better understand the interplay of learning styles, assessment preferences, and educational outcomes in dental education.