Perception of Learning Assessment Methods by Students at the End of Their Initial Training at the Faculty of Dentistry of Casablanca

Abstract

Aim. To explore students’ perception of theoretical, preclinical, and clinical assessment methods and to analyze their level of satisfaction, with the final goal of getting out with recommendationsto improve the weaknesses identified.Material and Methods. A descriptive and transversal survey was carried out by a doctoral student in the Faculty of Dentistry of Casablanca on the perception of students, at the end of their initial training, of learning assessment methods.Results. 51.8% of surveyed students said they were not informed of the criteria to pass successfully the exams, 35.7% of students felt that integrating continuous assessment in addition to the final test would be beneficial for them, and 45.1% of them proposed a frequency of one assessment per month. According to them, this system will allow them to be up to date, to better manage time and knowledge, and to have feedback allowing them to check and improve their skills. Practical activities assessment systems are considered to be adequate by 92% of the surveyed students. Clinical internship assessment focused for the majority of students on the number of procedures.Conclusion. The assessment methods influence students’ learning. It allows teachers to monitor students’ productivity, their attitude, and their work quality, so the teacher can identify gaps in a timely manner at every level of the learning process. According to the students’ perception, the theoretical evaluation should be adapted to the learning objectives, the practical work is quite satisfactory, and the clinical evaluation is mainly based on quantitative criteria.