Interpretive versus didactic learning approach towards oral biology: a student's perspective

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Oral Biology
• Pedagogy

Background:

• Understanding student learning preferences is crucial for effective dental education.
• The shift towards critical thinking and enquiry-based learning (EBL) necessitates evaluating different question formats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze dental students' preferences for interpretive versus descriptive oral biology questions.
• To compare these preferences with students' final examination performance.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to dental students post-final examination.
• Students indicated preference for either interpretive or descriptive questions on oral biology topics.
• Preferences were retrospectively correlated with final examination grades.

Main Results:

• Students with higher grades (A+, A, B+, B) predominantly preferred interpretive questions.
• Students with average grades (C+, C, D+, D) favored descriptive questions.
• Key reasons cited: interpretive questions enhance critical thinking; descriptive questions allow for more detailed explanations.

Conclusions:

• Student performance in oral biology may correlate with question format preference.
• Encouraging interpretive learning promotes enquiry-based learning and critical thinking skills essential for dental professionals.
• Educational strategies should consider incorporating more interpretive questioning to foster higher-order thinking.