Student Survey Results on the Integration of Active Learning Exercises in a Dental Education Self‐Learning Setting
Authors: Ruest L. Bruno , Svoboda Kathy KH , Opperman Lynne A 
Published: November 2023

In this digital era, the availability of electronic teaching content, including lectures, for self‐learning is increasing rapidly and changing how course content is delivered. In some cases, the entire course content can be delivered digitally without traditional lectures. However, the effectiveness of self‐learning may be questioned if measurements of student viewership and attention are not analyzed. An active learning exercise could be used to measure student learning to ensure students are viewing the digital content of a course. We previously reported on the results of a study investigating whether the addition of active learning exercises improved student learning in a flipped classroom self‐learning model. Crossword puzzles were used as the active learning tool in a controlled, randomized parallel group intervention study conducted with second‐semester, first‐year dental students (IRB approval 2014‐0851‐BCD). The students were randomly separated into three groups: two intervention groups who completed the puzzles during (Group A) or after (Group B) a self‐learning activity and one control group (Group C) who did not see or solve the puzzle. Seventy students participated over the two years of the study and were tested before, immediately after (short term) and again 4–6 weeks later (long term) the self‐learning lecture. The students who did the active learning activity “after” the self‐learning activity performed significantly better than the other groups (short term, p<0.05 2‐way ANOVA) and had significant long‐term score gains (difference between long‐term test scores vs. pretest; p<0.05 Mann Whitney). We also surveyed the same students about their opinion of the integration of active learning and self‐learning activities using a 5‐point LIKERT scale (1= strongly disagree to 5= strongly agree). We are reporting the main survey results in this presentation (mean score +/− standard deviation).

The students indicated that the integration of active learning activities such as crossword puzzles was a good idea (4.10+/−0.94), would help them learn/study the material (4.07 +/−0.85), believed they learned more because of the activities (3.97+/−0.77) and helped them focus on a topic (4.05+/−1.02); there were no significant differences among Groups A, B and C (Kruskal‐Wallis test with Dunn's posttest). However, they disagreed that the puzzles should be mandatory and graded (2.75+/−1.16). They felt that the puzzles should be used for self‐study (3.87+/−1.12), in line with their belief that they got better results because they completed the active learning activity (3.74+/−0.91), which should be done after (3.79+/−1.05) and not during (2.74+/−1.21) the self‐learning activity (p<0.0001 Kruskal‐Wallis with Dunn's multiple comparison posttests p<0.005). Multi‐question analyses revealed that the students prefer to have active learning activities as long that we reduce in‐class time and, if we reduce class time with self‐learning modules, we should include active learning activities (p<0.005 Kruskal‐Wallis with Dunn's multiple comparison posttests p<0.001).

In conclusion, the students indicated that active learning activities like crossword puzzles could be an effective adjunct to a flipped classroom self‐learning model.

Support or Funding Information

Supported by a Texas A&M University‐Baylor College of Dentistry Office of Dean educational research grant.