IADR Abstract Archives
Challenges faced by clinical teachers teaching exodontia
Objectives: A study which aimed to redesign an Exodontia Block Course, included as an objective, the evaluation of the traditional course. The evaluation explored the elements of the curriculum from the perspectives of various stakeholders. This paper focuses on the challenges expressed by the Clinical Teacher (CT) group.
Methods: This was a qualitative, descriptive study using a semi-structured interview guide with focus group discussions for data collection. The purposive sample of participants consisted of undergraduate dentistry students (n=13), clinical teachers (CTs) (n=10) and dental practitioners (n=7). The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and themed. Appreciative inquiry was used as a data collection approach and a framework for analysis. Ethics approval was obtained from the University of the Western Cape’s Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, where the study was conducted.
Results: The gender distribution of the CT group was 6 females and 4 males with an age range of 27 years and 62 years (mean = 36.6). Four broad themes were identified. The themes, Challenges associated and Recommendations for improvement, are relevant to the focus of this paper. Aspects such as: course duration, student reliance on teachers, and teaching and learning strategies hindered the CTs from executing effective teaching.
Conclusions: Course evaluation is an important aspect of quality assurance and curriculum review. The findings suggest that the CTs were able to articulate and share the challenges experienced during the course. A more detailed assessment of the needs of CTs may be required to better support them in effecting effective clinical teaching of students.
Methods: This was a qualitative, descriptive study using a semi-structured interview guide with focus group discussions for data collection. The purposive sample of participants consisted of undergraduate dentistry students (n=13), clinical teachers (CTs) (n=10) and dental practitioners (n=7). The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and themed. Appreciative inquiry was used as a data collection approach and a framework for analysis. Ethics approval was obtained from the University of the Western Cape’s Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, where the study was conducted.
Results: The gender distribution of the CT group was 6 females and 4 males with an age range of 27 years and 62 years (mean = 36.6). Four broad themes were identified. The themes, Challenges associated and Recommendations for improvement, are relevant to the focus of this paper. Aspects such as: course duration, student reliance on teachers, and teaching and learning strategies hindered the CTs from executing effective teaching.
Conclusions: Course evaluation is an important aspect of quality assurance and curriculum review. The findings suggest that the CTs were able to articulate and share the challenges experienced during the course. A more detailed assessment of the needs of CTs may be required to better support them in effecting effective clinical teaching of students.