Development and Application of a New Learning Object for Teaching Operative Dentistry Using Augmented Reality

Learning objects (LOs) associated with augmented reality have been used as attractive new technologic tools in the educational process. However, the acceptance of new LOs must be verified with the purpose of using these innovations in the learning process in general. The aim of this study was to develop a new LO and investigate the acceptance of gold onlay in teaching preparation design at a dental school in Brazil. Questionnaires were designed to assess, first, the users' computational ability and knowledge of computers (Q1) and, second, the users' acceptance of the new LO (Q2). For both questionnaires, the internal consistency index was calculated to determine whether the questions were measuring the same construct. The reliability of Q2 was measured with a retest procedure. The LO was tested by dental students (n=28), professors and postgraduate students in dentistry and prosthetics (n=30), and dentists participating in a continuing education or remedial course in dentistry and/or prosthetics (n=19). Analyses of internal consistency (Kappa coefficient and Cronbach's alpha) demonstrated a high degree of confidence in the questionnaires. Tests for simple linear regressions were conducted between the response variable (Q2) and the following explanative variables: the Q1 score, age, gender, and group. The results showed wide acceptance regardless of the subjects' computational ability (p=0.99; R2=0), gender (p=0.27; R2=1.6%), age (p=0.27; R2=0.1%), or group (p=0.53; R2=1.9%). The methodology used enabled the development of an LO with a high index of acceptance for all groups.