IADR Abstract Archives
Peer Assisted Learning – Supporting Learning in Oral Surgery
Objectives: This paper reports on the findings of a larger study.
The objective was to evaluate an exodontia block course from the perspective of undergraduate dentistry students.
Methods: The study was a qualitative study which made use of focus group discussions as a data collection tool. The study took place in the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery (UWC) after ethics approval was obtained (BM19_10_23). The participants included students in their 3rd, 4th and 5th years of study. The discussions explored the experiences and views of students on the aspects of the block course which worked for them and that which could be improved. Discussions were facilitated by an external facilitator, recorded, transcribed, and themed by an external coder. Appreciative inquiry was used as a framework for analysis.
Results: The sample consisted of 15 students. One of the subthemes generated was: Participants’ recommendations to improve teaching the skill of tooth extraction. Peer learning was included as one of the recommendations to improve learning. Junior students experienced moral support, affirmation of clinical skill, information sharing, and increased confidence when paired with more senior students.
Experiences are reflected by quotations:
…peer learning, as opposed to learning with a supervisor or lecturer, the one added benefit is for the person who's being taught is, it's a bit less stressful.
Peer-to-peer learning makes a big difference. …sometimes you can't ask the supervisor something because they'll get upset … when you don't know. But when you ask your friends, they'll teach you like an acronym or something. And then you'll just remember it a little bit better.
Conclusions: Peer learning was a feature highlighted by students as a tool to be formalised for inclusion in future courses.
The objective was to evaluate an exodontia block course from the perspective of undergraduate dentistry students.
Methods: The study was a qualitative study which made use of focus group discussions as a data collection tool. The study took place in the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery (UWC) after ethics approval was obtained (BM19_10_23). The participants included students in their 3rd, 4th and 5th years of study. The discussions explored the experiences and views of students on the aspects of the block course which worked for them and that which could be improved. Discussions were facilitated by an external facilitator, recorded, transcribed, and themed by an external coder. Appreciative inquiry was used as a framework for analysis.
Results: The sample consisted of 15 students. One of the subthemes generated was: Participants’ recommendations to improve teaching the skill of tooth extraction. Peer learning was included as one of the recommendations to improve learning. Junior students experienced moral support, affirmation of clinical skill, information sharing, and increased confidence when paired with more senior students.
Experiences are reflected by quotations:
…peer learning, as opposed to learning with a supervisor or lecturer, the one added benefit is for the person who's being taught is, it's a bit less stressful.
Peer-to-peer learning makes a big difference. …sometimes you can't ask the supervisor something because they'll get upset … when you don't know. But when you ask your friends, they'll teach you like an acronym or something. And then you'll just remember it a little bit better.
Conclusions: Peer learning was a feature highlighted by students as a tool to be formalised for inclusion in future courses.