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Exploring the relation between online case-based discussions and learning outcomes in dental education
Sebastiaan Koole1, Stijn Vervaeke2, Jan Cosyn2
1Dr. Koole is Educational Advisor, Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Ghent University, Belgium; Dr. Vervaeke is Researcher, Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Ghent University, Belgium; Dr. Cosyn is Associate Professor, Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Ghent University, Belgium and Visiting Professor, Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Free University of Brussels (VUB), Belgium; and Dr. De Bruyn is Professor, Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Ghent University, Belgium and Visiting Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Malmö University, Sweden. sebastiaan.koole@ugent.be.
Active participation in online dental case discussions, including student contributions and supervisor guidance, positively impacts learning outcomes. This research highlights the importance of engagement in online case-based learning for dental education.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Online Learning
- Periodontics
Background:
- Online case-based discussions are a valuable supplement to theoretical dental education.
- Students and supervisors highly value these interactive online learning environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between online group discussion variables and student learning outcomes in dental education.
- To analyze the impact of student contributions and supervisor interventions on academic performance.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study analyzed data from 252 undergraduate dental students across 43 online discussion groups.
- Spearman's rank correlations were used to assess the link between group dynamics, individual contributions, supervisor actions, and examination results.
Main Results:
- Learning outcomes showed significant positive correlations with the number of student posts (ρ=0.19), newly introduced elements (ρ=0.21), and reactions to posts (ρ=0.14).
- Supervisor interventions (ρ=0.12) and posed questions (ρ=0.20) also correlated positively with learning outcomes.
- These findings indicate a connection between student engagement and supervision quality with academic success.
Conclusions:
- Individual student contributions in online case discussions are linked to improved learning outcomes.
- Effective supervision within online dental education settings is also associated with better student performance.
- The study underscores the importance of active participation and guidance in online case-based learning for dental students.
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