GoDental! Enhancing flipped classroom experience with game-based learning

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Educational Technology
• Pedagogy

Background:

• The flipped classroom (FC) model is increasingly adopted in dental education.
• Traditional FC methods may not fully engage all students.
• Integrating innovative pedagogical tools is crucial for enhancing learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of game-based learning (GBL) on the student experience within the flipped classroom (FC) framework.
• To compare student perceptions of an FC augmented with GBL versus a conventional FC.

Main Methods:

• Dental students participated in three FC sessions, with one session incorporating the GoDental! game.
• Pre-class activities included video lectures and questionnaires; the GBL session involved game-specific question development.
• In-class activities transitioned from discussions to game-based activities in the GBL session.
• Student perceptions were assessed using Likert-scale and open-ended questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The GBL-augmented FC session was perceived as significantly more enjoyable by 97% of students.
• Students reported increased engagement (83%), motivation (83%), social integration (77%), and concentration (73%) with GBL-augmented FC.
• A positive correlation was found between enjoyment, concentration, and perceived learning gains.

Conclusions:

• Game-based learning effectively enhances the student experience in a flipped classroom setting for dental education.
• GBL integration leads to greater enjoyment and perceived learning benefits compared to conventional FC.
• Further research is recommended to explore GBL's potential impact on academic performance in FC.