MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lecturers and students in the Phase (Year) II programme were asked to fill questionnaires following the second and fourth PBL cases. The two sets of survey responses were compared to see whether the students' and teachers' perceptions had changed over the 5-month period.
RESULTS: Students' responses from both surveys (1 and 2) were similar in that a majority agreed that the PBL tutorials had encouraged the seeking of information (66% and 67%, respectively), had improved understanding (57% and 56%), integration (65% and 70%) and application (50% and 64%) of knowledge. However, the views given in the form of written comments, following their positive responses, were somewhat contradictory. A large number of students (38% and 40%) faced difficulties in getting involved in discussions during the PBL tutorial and a majority (73% and 82%) preferred the normal subject-based tutorials. The reasons given by approximately 20% of the students were that the subject-based tutorials were more efficient for obtaining information and/or that the information had been pre-selected by the lecturers. More than 80% of the lecturers (in both surveys) perceived that the students had identified the appropriate learning objectives and covered the subject matter. The percentage of lecturers who agreed that PBL tutorials encouraged rapport and teamwork amongst students had increased in the second survey, from 70% to 92% and 55% to 83% respectively.
CONCLUSION: Implementing PBL is not simply a matter of developing new teaching materials and new effective ways of presenting them. It requires a paradigm shift, a change in the roles of students and teachers, and time.
METHODS: All second-year undergraduate Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students were invited to participate in a TBL-CBL session. These participants were randomly allocated to six different groups of 10-12 students, and the session was conducted by one lecturer as the facilitator. A 23-item questionnaire assessing four domains (perceptions of effectiveness, teacher, team interaction and learning environment) was administered at the end of the TBL-CBL session.
RESULTS: The response rate was 91.9% (n = 68). Mean scores for the questionnaire items ranged from 4.13 to 4.60 suggesting a positive perception among the students towards the hybrid TBL-CBL approach. Regarding the open-response questions, students emphasised that the TBL-CBL session was effective for team interaction and group discussions. However, students wished to have a better venue for future sessions.
CONCLUSION: Positive perceptions of the students encourage future educators to consider the use of TBL-CBL approach in teaching dental materials science and to avoid the reliance on standalone conventional lectures. Future research could consider examining its effects on students' academic achievement as well as the perspectives of teachers regarding its adoption in different dental specialities.
METHODS: Eighteen students with prior experience in traditional PDPBL processes participated in the study, divided into three groups to perform PDPBL sessions with various triggers from pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutics, and clinical pharmacy fields, while utilizing chat AI provided by ChatGPT to assist with data searching and problem-solving. Questionnaires were used to collect data on the impact of ChatGPT on students' satisfaction, engagement, participation, and learning experience during the PBL sessions.
RESULTS: The survey revealed that ChatGPT improved group collaboration and engagement during PDPBL, while increasing motivation and encouraging more questions. Nevertheless, some students encountered difficulties understanding ChatGPT's information and questioned its reliability and credibility. Despite these challenges, most students saw ChatGPT's potential to eventually replace traditional information-seeking methods.
CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that ChatGPT has the potential to enhance PDPBL in pharmacy education. However, further research is needed to examine the validity and reliability of the information provided by ChatGPT, and its impact on a larger sample size.
AIM: To equip faculty with tools to conduct TBL session online, synchronously, effectively and efficiently.
METHODS: We examined the published literature in the area of online teaching and combined it with our own experience of conducting TBL sessions online.
RESULTS: We created 12 tips to assist faculty to facilitate an effective and engaging TBL session online.
CONCLUSIONS: Applying these 12 tips while facilitating a TBL-online session will ensure the full engagement of students in the process of active learning.