Collaborative learning in pre-clinical dental hygiene education

Area of Science:

• Dental Hygiene Education
• Pedagogical Research
• Higher Education

Background:

• Dental hygiene education is evolving to emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving.
• Traditional teaching methods may not fully foster these advanced cognitive skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of collaborative learning compared to traditional methods in pre-clinical dental hygiene education.
• To assess the impact of collaborative learning on the intellectual development of first-year dental hygiene students.

Main Methods:

• A control group received traditional pre-clinical instruction, while the experimental group utilized collaborative pedagogy.
• Student competence was assessed via a post-test on instrumentation principles.
• Intellectual development was measured using the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development through pre- and post-tests.
• Student attitudes were evaluated through daily assessments and end-of-semester course evaluations.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in pre-clinical competence or intellectual development between the collaborative and traditional learning groups.
• Collaborative learning positively impacted student attitudes, reducing reliance on authority and increasing self-confidence.
• Students in collaborative environments recognized peers as valuable learning resources.
• Daily classroom assessments showed significant differences on days when collaborative learning was implemented.

Conclusions:

• Pre-clinical collaborative learning environments enhance dental hygiene students' self-directed learning and improve their attitudes towards the subject.
• Further research is recommended to explore the cost-benefit analysis of collaborative learning's added value in clinical dental hygiene settings.