Exploring students' perspectives from two Canadian dental schools toward online learning experiences

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Online Learning
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Online teaching and learning in dental education increased significantly over two academic years.
• This modality presents both advantages and limitations for students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore dental and dental hygiene students' perceptions of online learning experiences.
• Focus on experiences during two pandemic-impacted academic years at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Toronto (UofT).

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing Interpretive Description methodology.
• Semi-structured data collection through individual interviews and focus groups.
• Thematic analysis of qualitative data from 31 interviews and 4 focus groups.

Main Results:

• Online learning offered advantages like flexibility, curriculum sustainability, and inclusivity.
• Students reported benefits such as self-care resources and increased family time.
• Limitations included loss of attentiveness, challenging content, logistical issues, isolation, and physical symptoms from prolonged screen time.

Conclusions:

• A structured, sustainable blended approach is needed to balance online learning limitations with in-person interaction.
• Student perspectives provide a roadmap for designing future dental education curricula.