Electronic vs. traditional textbook use: dental students' perceptions and study habits
Marcia M Ditmyer1, Jared Dye, Nadim Guirguis
1University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine, Las Vegas, NV 89106-4124, USA. marcia.ditmyer@unlv.edu
Journal of Dental Education
|June 5, 2012
Summary
Dental students often prefer traditional textbooks over e-textbooks, despite the prevalence of digital resources in dental education. Many students still purchase print versions and find digital formats less useful for studying.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Digital Learning Technologies
- Student Study Habits
Background:
- The integration of e-textbooks into dental education presents a shift from traditional print resources.
- Understanding student attitudes towards these digital tools is crucial for effective curriculum development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess dental students' attitudes regarding computer use, study habits, and the adoption of e-textbook technology.
- To identify preferences between traditional print and electronic textbook formats among dental students.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study utilizing an online survey distributed to students at accredited dental schools in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
- Data collected from 703 complete responses across twenty-four dental schools.
Main Results:
- Over 75% of students reported minimal time spent studying from textbooks, despite spending over 11 hours weekly on studies.
- A majority (59%) preferred traditional resources over e-textbooks, with over 50% not using required e-textbooks.
- Many students purchased print textbooks even when e-textbooks were provided and frequently printed e-textbook content.
Conclusions:
- Dental students demonstrate a preference for traditional textbook resources over e-textbooks for reference and augmenting lecture material.
- E-textbook utilization in dental education is less frequent compared to faculty-provided materials.
- Further research may explore reasons for e-textbook underutilization and strategies for improving digital resource engagement.
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