Instructional multimedia programs for self-directed learning in undergraduate and postgraduate training in orthodontics.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate an interactive multimedia courseware package in orthodontics and to provide dental undergraduate and postgraduate students with an interactive means of self-study and self-evaluation.


METHODS
A commercially available software authoring system was used to develop the courseware package. The courseware was presented for evaluation through a questionnaire to four different groups of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Each group consisted of 25 students. The first three groups were third, fourth, and fifth year of dental curriculum at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. The fourth group comprised postgraduate students. A one-way ANOVA was carried out in order to check for statistical differences, whereas a Scheffe's test was used in order to locate the statistical differences between groups. The p value was set at 0.05.


RESULTS
The majority of undergraduate and postgraduate students in this study were very enthusiastic about this form of educational approach (74/100) because it was experienced as very helpful in understanding the orthodontic curriculum more efficiently (98/100).


CONCLUSIONS
The program provides both undergraduate and postgraduate dental students with a useful interactive means of self-study and self-evaluation.
Aly
M
M
Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Willems
G
G
Carels
C
C
Elen
J
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003479:Curriculum; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D018961:Educational Technology; D006801:Humans; D019212:Multimedia; D009970:Orthodontics / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires