Čes. stomatol. Prakt. zub. lék. (Czech Dental Journal) 2012; 112(3): 46-55 | DOI: 10.51479/cspzl.2012.033

The Benefit of E-learning in Classical Full-time Teaching of Dentistry

Ľ. Harvan^*, J. Stejskalová

Klinika zubního lékařství LF UP a FN, Olomouc

Introduction: Both information and communication technologies are firmly established in many areas of modern life. In this regard, dentistry is not an exception. Nowadays we use them from the first moment of the patient's visit at the dentist's office. Besides diagnosis and treatment, the information and communication technologies can be applied in dentistry students' teaching process. It comprises e-learning training which presently becomes very popular in universities' teaching process. The using of modern information and communication technologies in classical education creates a new style that seems to be very beneficial for the dentistry teaching.

Aims: The work aims at assessing the benefits of original e-course application in dentistry full-time teaching according to students' opinions.

Methods: The survey was launched in the academic year 2010/2011. The research involved 419 students of all dentistry courses at the Medical Faculty of Palacky University in Olomouc. The students' opinion regarding application of e-learning elements in the dentistry classical teaching has been investigated by questionnaires. Questionnaires included two types of questions: closed (structured) and open (unstructured).
Another type of questionnaire was used to determine students' opinions on the e-course created. This anonymous online questionnaire is placed in E-learning section on Dentistry Clinic website, Palacky University, Olomouc. The results received were processed statistically by using χ² test.

Results: The total return of the questionnaires was 87.77%. The term "e-learning" was clear to 333 students (89.76%). Most respondents (84.91%) considered the use of e-learning in dentistry teaching as beneficial. The results are both clearly positive and statistically significant.

Conclusions: The results of our research proved students' positive attitude to the introduction of e-learning elements into the traditional teaching of dentistry. The vast majority of students welcome the further development of e-course.

Keywords: information and communication technologies; e-learning; blended learning; e-course; full-time teaching; questionnaires; dentistry students

Published: September 1, 2012  Show citation