The comparison of the effect of traditional and off-line electronic educational methods on the knowledge and attitude of the undergraduate dental students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: E-learning as one of the new methods of learning makes it possible toachieve skills at higher levels without time and space constraints. The purpose of thisresearch was to compare the effect of case-based learning in two ways of personal andoff-line (forum) E-learning on the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate medicalstudents of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.Methods: This is a semi-experimental research, which was conducted on 44 dentalstudents in the academic year of 2014. Sampling was a block randomizing. Bothgroups were given written exams before and after teaching in order to evaluate theparticipants’ awareness and knowledge of the content, the satisfaction level andattitudes of both groups were questioned by the application of an exam following theLikert scale format of 1-5. In this study, a paired samples t-test was used forcomparing students’ pretest and posttest scores in each group, and an independentsamples t-test was run for comparing the changes in scores, students’ attitudes, andsatisfaction in both groups. In case of derivation from the normal distributionhypothesis, non-parametric equivalents were used in these tests. The acceptablesignificant level was α=0.05.Results: The mean score of primary awareness in both groups of personal and Elearningwas statistically the same (p=0.647). A significant increase was observed inthe awareness level of people after the application of learning (p<0.001). Theawareness of people in personal and E-learning groups before learning (median=2)was significantly increased compared to that after learning (personal: median=5 andelectronic: median=6). The increase of awareness in personal and E-learning groupswas statistically the same (p=0.216). Generally, the increase of awareness level wassimilar in women and men (p=0.822). There was not a significant relationshipbetween people’s attitude with the learning method and age of the participants.Conclusion: Given that the learning and attitudes of students in off-line (forum) Elearningand personal learning was the same, and regarding the effectiveness of Elearningin time reduction and saving of costs and educational facilities, this newmethod can be used as a part of learning activities in medical learning program.

Keywords:

Case Based Learning , Personal Learning , Off-line (Forum) E-learning , Knowledge , Attitudes