Application of the presentation-assimilation-discussion class in oral pathology teaching

The presentation-assimilation-discussion (PAD) class is a novel teaching method in which half the class time is allocated for the instructor's presentation and the other half for student's assimilation and discussion. This study evaluates and compares the teaching outcomes of the PAD class and traditional lecture-based method in oral pathology courses in School of Stomatology, Kunming Medical University.

The experimental and control groups included 88 undergraduates from Class 2017 and 72 undergraduates from Class 2016, respectively. The PAD method was applied on the experimental group in 2019, whereas the traditional lecture-based method was applied on the control group in 2018. The two groups' teaching outcomes were compared using final theory tests, biopsy diagnostic tests, and questionnaires. The Mann-Whitney U-test and independent-sample t-test were adopted for statistical analysis.

In five multiple-choice questions examining the same knowledge point from final theory tests, the distribution of the final scores showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). In the biopsy diagnostic tests, the experimental group scored higher than the control group (p < 0.05). In the questionnaires, there was no statistically significant difference for the "enhancing knowledge mastery" item (p > 0.05). However, the experimental group showed significant superiority in the remaining nine items (p < 0.05). [Correction added on August 30, 2021, after first online publication: The data value p was corrected in the last sentence of result section.] CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the traditional lecture-based teaching, the PAD class stimulated a passion for learning among students and results in improved teaching outcomes. Therefore, the application of PAD class in oral pathology teaching should be recommended.