COVID-19 and dental distance-based education: students’ perceptions in an Italian University

Abstract

Background The aim of the study was to analyze the perception of dental faculties students regarding the complete transition to distance-based education (DE) and the adaptation of this educational strategy, due to Covid-19 pandemic. A questionnaire to be completed anonymously was submitted online to students attending the faculties of Dentistry and Oral Hygiene at Sapienza, University of Rome, after the end of distance lessons. The collected data were processed statistically, providing descriptive data and analysis of correlation of the most significant parameters, using Chi-squared test, Cramér V and Pearson φ2, Goodman and Kruskal’s γ and λ and Kendall’s τb. The level of statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results A total of 314 students participated in the survey. The overall level of satisfaction on a ten- point scale was 5.39 ± 2.59 for Oral Hygiene students and 6.15 ± 2.98 for Dentistry students. The most common complaints were the lack of a structured online curriculum, less interaction with professors and a lower level of attention. On the basis of the responses, scored using Likert-type Scale, oral Hygiene students reported statistically higher level of physical fatigue(p = 0.0189), a lower level of attention (p = 0.0136) and of the quality and quantity of acquired knowledge during distance education (p = 0.0392), compared to Dentistry students. Level of perceived stress and quality and quantity of acquired knowledge (γ = 0.81 and τb =0.56) and quality and quantity of acquired knowledge and fear of a decrease in knowledge (γ = 0.76 and τb =0.54) are associated variables. Conclusion Students’ feedback is essential to solve the key issues emerged from the questionnaire. New educational models should be define in order to ensure that distance education could be effective, meeting the learning needs of the students, and could not be a merely “online shift” of traditional methods, used as an alternative of live education.

Medical students’ perception of distance-based education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia: A qualitative study

“…The findings indicate that students had problems with the technical aspect of DBE (use of communication tools), organization of online lectures, and social exclusion. This is an experience that Slovenian students share with their counterparts abroad ( Almendingen et al., 2021 ; Desai et al., 2020 ; Di Giacomo & Di Paolo, 2021 ; Khan et al., 2021 ; Mishraa et al., 2020 ; Mohammed et al., 2020 ; Nadaf, 2021 ; Oloyede et al., 2021 ; Peimani & Kamalipour, 2021 ).…”

“…The COVID-19 crisis basically plunged lecturers and students into an environment where they had to get used to what Di Giacomo and Carlo Di Paolo ( Di Giacomo & Di Paolo, 2021 ) call distance-based education (DBE). In fact, this is a teaching practice that has been imposed on people.…”

“…Their experiences can generally be divided into positive and negative. For example, some students highlighted benefits of DBE (saving time, easier access to online teaching resources, and better organized lectures) ( Anwar, Mansoor, Faisal & Khan, 2021 ), whereas other students mentioned a number of problems relating both to the conduct of the lesson itself and to some socioeconomic characteristics of the student population ( Almendingen et al., 2021 ; Di Giacomo & Di Paolo, 2021 ; Khan et al., 2021 ). COVID-19 arrived unexpectedly, and some students simply did not have the conditions to study from home because they did not have their own room or adequate computer equipment.…”

Comparison of Preclinical Coursework Perception Among Dental Students from India and the Republic of North Macedonia

“…The Covid 19 pandemic has certainly had a huge impact on the entire educational process in the world, forcing many universities to shift traditional lecture-based learning to team-based learning [14,15].…”

Correction to: COVID-19 and dental distance-based education: students’ perceptions in an Italian University

“…Following publication of the original article [ 1 ], the authors identified an error in the author name of Paola Di Giacomo.…”