Acceptability and perceived effectiveness of web-based self-instruction in clinical orthodontics

For a predoctoral course in advanced clinical orthodontics, we evaluated the acceptability to students (how well did you like it?) and the perceived effectiveness (how well did it help you learn?) of Web-based self-instruction plus small-group seminars. On a 10-point Likert scale, median scores for acceptability and effectiveness of the self-instructional modules and seminars were nine. More than half the students rated the modules as excellent, and two-thirds rated the seminars as excellent. No students rated either the modules or the seminars as poor. With the use of structured seminar outlines, there were no significant differences in seminar scores among the seminar leaders. Compared with their predecessors who had a traditional lecture course, students who had the new self-instructional course were less likely to report either the positive or negative extremes in confidence about their ability to recognize treatment alternatives for orthodontic problems. The results indicate that Web-based self-instruction plus small-group seminars coordinated by a course leader is at least as effective as traditional lectures. This approach offers a possible way to share faculty among orthodontic departments for both pre- and postdoctoral education, as a way to help overcome faculty shortages.