Comparative Analysis of the Learning of Oral Anatomy and Physiology Under Different Teaching Approaches

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the influence of traditional lecture, MOOC online learning and flipped classroom on the learning of the course Oral Anatomy and Physiology. We compare and analyze the teaching on three cohorts of undergraduate dental students: students from Grade 2012 (n = 38, traditional lecture cohort), students from Grade 2014 (n = 64, MOOC online teaching cohort) and students from Grade 2018 (n = 60, flipped classroom cohort). We study the teaching by analyzing the scores of tooth identification, tooth waxing during the course, and the final exam after the course. We also administered a Student Satisfaction Questionnaire Survey to gather feedback on the MOOC online learning and flipped classroom approaches. Our results are as follows: (1) There were no statistically significant differences among the short-term assessments of the students (tooth identification, tooth waxing and the final exam) under the three different teaching approaches. (2) Flipped classroom promoted students’ autonomous learning ability and their ability to cooperate with others. Compared to traditional teaching, MOOC online learning was found to be more conducive to the mastery of hands-on skills and the cultivation of autonomous learning ability among students. Additionally, the flipped classroom approach, which blends MOOC online and classroom offline learning, helped to promote students’ autonomous learning ability and their ability to cooperate with others. It converted students’ learning behaviors and study habits from passive learning to active learning. The learning experiences of students transformed from a teacher-centered classroom and rote learning in the past, to peer-assisted learning and interactive learning at the present, facilitating the internalization of learner’s knowledge. Online learning could foster students’ sense of responsibility and autonomous learning ability, making it a valuable approach to promote.