Dental Teacher Feedback and Student Learning: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Objective
3. Methodology
4. Results
“Students do not reflect because they do not know what reflection is—reflection is not just ‘thinking in the bath”
“When giving clinical/skills feedback, we do not praise the student: they cannot afford to be complacent: we need to point out to them where the problems are. They need to know, and they need to learn in no uncertain terms”
“In summative assessments (e.g., OSCEs), we give group feedback only because it is fairer and less complicated; because this is less controversial from the students’ point of view; by not criticising an individuals for their ‘poor’ performance, we run into less problems with appeals against the results/marks awarded”
“Our students warm to written feedback, because it feels more comforting, particularly if they have passed”
“There is a difference in undergraduate and postgraduate feedback”
“********** [name of a country] students only want grades! They don’t necessarily want feedback”
“We only give oral feedback to failing students”
“Student character is an important factor in how they receive feedback”
“The student needs to act on feedback for it to be effective”
“Our students like written email feedback and so do our teachers, because, like it or not, we need to give some feedback, and it is HR [Human Resource] driven, and so the less interaction there is with students when feedback is given, the better it is for all parties”
“Sometimes as teachers we are at a loss as to how to deliver feedback”
“Standardizing how we give feedback is ‘mission impossible’”
“We can assess whether the student heeds more constructive or encouraging feedback during the discussion to adapt feedback to individual”
“When delivering feedback, you need to be careful of the language you use and not in front of patients”
“In 20 years’, time what will happen to feedback practices, there will be 360 degree feedback”
“We as teachers are charged with enlightening our students: the more they know about the limitations of their knowledge and practice the better”
“As a tutor you need to understand what the student hasn’t done properly in the first place”
“Consistency. Standardization”
“Need to adapt your message to the students’ mind-set”
“Digital technology will allow students to self-evaluate: they will know where the mistakes are without the teachers telling them”
“Following summative assessments, the teacher should go through the exam questions with the students and give good voluntary feedback”.
“Face to face feedback needs to be really structured, otherwise you divert and run away from the real issues”.
“I have introduced a new element in my histology course where we use virtual microscopy. Students deliver group responses to which feedback is given online”
“Students are getting involved more in reflective feedback”
“Reflection better from postgraduates”
“Assessment of reflection is difficult/inappropriate”
“Students do not reflect because they do not know what reflection is—reflection is not just “thinking in the bath”
“I deliver feedback orally after receiving oral or e-mail feedback by students”
“The type of feedback given is tailored (as much as possible) to the personal needs of the students (notable from an “emotional” stand point)”
“I ensure I tell students “Let’s do feedback” after clinical session so they recognise they are getting feedback”
“Feedback has changed the approach to teaching it is more now student-centred learning”
“We are working with a psychologist to guide student instructors”.
“setting out expectations for students leads to feed forward”
5. Meeting 4
6. Discussion
7. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Conference | Focus Group Themes |
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Conference 1 |
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Conference 2 |
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Conference 3 |
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Conference 4 |
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Conference | Number of Attendees/Focus Group | Questionnaires Completes/Meeting | Focus Group Themes |
---|---|---|---|
Conference 1 | 43 Teachers | 172 Teachers |
|
Conference 2 | 39 Teachers | 234 Students |
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Conference 3 | 15 Teachers | 67 Teachers |
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Conference 4 | 40 Teachers | 240 Teachers |
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Theme | Sub-Theme | Sub-Sub-Theme |
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Style of Feedback |
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Type of student |
| |
Receiving/delivering feedback |
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Technology |
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Professionalism |
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Theme | Sub-Theme |
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Developing feedback skills |
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Use of technology |
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Reflection |
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Delivery mode |
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Responsibility |
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Expectations |
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Fine, P.; Leung, A.; Tonni, I.; Louca, C. Dental Teacher Feedback and Student Learning: A Qualitative Study. Dent. J. 2023, 11, 164. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj11070164
Fine P, Leung A, Tonni I, Louca C. Dental Teacher Feedback and Student Learning: A Qualitative Study. Dentistry Journal. 2023; 11(7):164. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj11070164
Chicago/Turabian StyleFine, Peter, Albert Leung, Ingrid Tonni, and Chris Louca. 2023. "Dental Teacher Feedback and Student Learning: A Qualitative Study" Dentistry Journal 11, no. 7: 164. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj11070164