A blended learning approach to teaching pre-clinical complete denture prosthodontics

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Traditional pre-clinical curricula often require significant direct supervision.
• Integrating electronic delivery allows for blended learning models combining traditional and asynchronous methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if a blended learning curriculum enhances pre-clinical laboratory and didactic competency with reduced supervision.
• To evaluate student and faculty acceptance of a blended learning approach.

Main Methods:

• A blended curriculum was implemented, featuring online lectures and laboratory demonstrations.
• Students accessed all materials, including online resources via Blackboard, on a DVD.
• The class was divided into groups to facilitate self-paced learning.

Main Results:

• The blended curriculum resulted in favorable student performance and satisfaction.
• Faculty response to the new curriculum was also highly positive.

Conclusions:

• Blended learning fosters student-focused education in pre-clinical settings.
• This model effectively develops essential didactic and laboratory skills for competency.