Assessment and pedagogy: a case study of two oral hygiene lecturers in South Africa.
There is evidence that most South African oral hygiene lecturers lack appropriate qualifications in the field of education. Their teaching skills are based mainly on clinical and practical experience, and this may impact on their understanding of the educational foundations of teaching, learning and assessment.


OBJECTIVE
To explore oral hygiene lecturers' knowledge and use of pedagogy and assessment and its alignment.


METHODS
A qualitative descriptive study design was used and case studies of two oral hygiene lecturers, each with qualifications in Education, were analyzed according to three themes: curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.


RESULTS
The results showed that both participants had a good understanding of formative assessment (FA) and summative assessment (SA). They made use of FA but in neither case was the application ideal. Both used a range of teaching and assessment strategies but felt accountable to external demands of meeting outcomes. They linked their understanding of pedagogy and assessment to assist in the development of their courses and reported that this alignment had improved the quality of their programmes.


CONCLUSIONS
This alignment by oral hygiene lecturers can influence curricular and pedagogic strategies. The professional educational development of lecturers in oral hygiene could be influential in improving the profession within the country.
Oral Health Auxiliary Training, School of Oral Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. glynnis.vergotine@wits.ac.za
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D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D003479:Curriculum; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005178:Faculty / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D016730:Program Development; D013019:South Africa; D013334:Students; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*