title: Learning experiences of oral hygiene students in the clinical environment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how students used daily and term-based clinical assessment tools, students' experience of clinical teaching and clinical assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The study population included final-year Degree in Oral Health (BOH) students (n = 34). Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire using open- and closed-ended questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 85% (n = 29). Respondents reported that term-based assessment tools were more useful than daily assessment tools in preparing for clinical sessions, in guiding their patient management and as a reflection of their competence. Factors influencing student experiences include authentic learning opportunities such as performing a variety of procedures, patient appreciation and positive reinforcement from supervisors; consistent and appropriate feedback on their performance, feedback in the presence of a patient; supervisor qualities of being patient, respectful, non-threatening and being positive role models; and organizational aspects such as punctuality and availability of supervisors. Inconsistencies were found in student experiences in terms of the quality of feedback received. Assessment experiences include inconsistency between supervisors and not being informed of assessment scores. Regular verbal feedback or being appraised of their assessment scores was reported more frequently for term-based assessment (77%) than for daily assessment (27%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that a blueprint defining assessment as a means to drive student learning is inadequate. A more comprehensive approach encompassing all the parameters that impact the learning process may be more useful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Hygiene, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education*; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005178:Faculty; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007858:Learning; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*
keywords: assessment; clinical supervisor; clinical teaching; feedback; oral hygiene student; supervisor qualities