Dental hygiene and therapy students' perceptions of a university's implementation of a blended teaching and learning approach in response to a pandemic: A qualitative study.

Aims: To explore dental hygiene and therapy students' perceptions of a university's implementation of a blended teaching and learning approach in response to a pandemic. Method: A focus group was conducted with final year dental hygiene and dental therapy students from the University of Portsmouth D...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Dental Health Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 5 - 10
Autores principales: San, Theai, Harris, Marina
Formato: CEU research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: British Society of Dental Hygiene & Therapy Mar2022
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Aims: To explore dental hygiene and therapy students' perceptions of a university's implementation of a blended teaching and learning approach in response to a pandemic. Method: A focus group was conducted with final year dental hygiene and dental therapy students from the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy. A total of nine students participated in the 45 minutes group meeting which explored their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of online learning. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six phases of thematic analysis. Results: Six main themes were identified. Analyses suggested that there were mixed opinions amongst the participants. Some students were concerned with their lack of productivity due to: distractions from being at home; insufficiently working without teammates; not having a fellow student at hand for social support; and a somewhat restricted educational environment. On the other hand, those students who were more adaptable and wellequipped to the pedagogic style, described their increased satisfaction with the blended learning approach. Conclusion: Students described their real-life experiences of an immediate shift-change into how the theoretical component of their degree was taught, and its impact on their learning. The study provides valuable baseline data on a novel topic.