Students’ perceptions of virtual interactive clinical case-based learning: A comparative study with three different cohorts

Abstract

Background/purpose: Since the introduction of virtual learning into dental education, students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual versus in-person learning formats have evolved for interactive clinical case-based learning (ICCBL). This study aimed to undertake a comparative analysis of three different cohorts that received various formats of ICCBL instruction. Materials and methodsA survey was distributed to the Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 following each class completion of interactive clinical case-based-tutorials (ICCBT) as part of the Treatment of Active Disease (TxAD) course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. ResultsA total of eighty-five participants from the three cohorts, twenty-three students from the Class of 2023 (virtual format, 71.9 % participation rate), thirty-one students from the Class of 2024 (combination of virtual and in-person, 91.2 %), and thirty-one students from the Class of 2025 (in-person, 83.8 %) completed the post-course survey. Across three classes, all cohorts were more likely to perceive the virtual format as more effective than in-person ICCBT. In addition, the classes were more likely to prefer virtual based classes compared to in-person tutorials in the future. ConclusionThis study highlights the dynamic shifts in educational approaches to align with the evolving demands of contemporary students. Our findings show that all cohorts expressed a preference for virtual ICCBT sessions and perceived virtual ICCBT sessions as somewhat more effective for learning compared to in-person sessions. These findings challenge the notion that such sessions must be conducted in person, prompting further research and the exploration of potentially more effective and optimized educational methods.