In a hybrid dental curriculum what is better for learning, PBL or TBL? A cross sectional study

Ambreen Azam; Farhat Kazmi; Lamyia Anweigi; Alhanoof Aldegheishem; Munerah Binshabaib; Afsheen Tabassum

In a hybrid dental curriculum what is better for learning, PBL or TBL? A cross sectional study

Authors

Ambreen Azam BDS, MSc; Assistant Professor, Dental Materials, College of Dentistry, Margalla Institute of Health Sciences Pakistan.
Farhat Kazmi PhD; Professor& Head of Department Oral Pathology, Rashid Latif Dental College Lahore, Pakistan.
Lamyia Anweigi PhD; Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
Alhanoof Aldegheishem PhD; Lecturer Dental Materials College of Dentistry, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Munerah Binshabaib PhD; Lecturer Dental Materials College of Dentistry, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Afsheen Tabassum PhD; Assistant Professor of Periodontics, Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Adulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Keywords:

Dental education, problem-based learning, team-based learning

Abstract

Introduction: Innovative teaching strategies like problem-based learning (PBL) and Team-based learning (TBL) are applied in various medical and dental schools blended with traditional lecture-based learning. The college of dentistry, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (CD-PNU) adopted a hybrid dental curriculum from the commencement of the dental program, however, TBL was introduced to the students in the academic year 2018/2019. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of both PBL/TBL methodologies by appraising studentsâ€™ perceptions since inadequate studies at present compared PBL/TBL for dental students in Saudi Arabia.

Material and Methods: The current cross-sectional study included 157 dental students from the second to the fifth year. Google survey forms were utilized. The questionnaires were adapted and modified from a validated questionnaire designed by Thompson and colleagues (2009). Pearsonâ€™s chi-squared test and descriptive analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results: In total, 82% of students completed the PBL questionnaire, and 84% achieved an almost similar survey for TBL. The data of the present study elaborated that both strategies were useful, Pre-session studentsâ€™ preparations, student involvement and peer learning within groups was higher in TBL. More ever there was enhanced learning in TBL due to the competitiveness among the groups and the devised assessments during the sessions.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the students perceived PBL and TBL to be a satisfactory teaching and learning modality. They felt better decision making, clinical reasoning with both and showed improved communication skills, effective learning with more efficient tutor feedback in TBL.