The flipped classroom in dental education - Learning beyond the four walls of the classroom

<ns4:p>This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Introduction: The 'Flipped Classroom' is a technology based approach, where the traditional class time and self-study activities are reversed or 'flipped'. In this model, low level cognitive skill like 'knowledge acquisition' are assigned to the students outside the classroom and activities that require higher cognitive skills like application and problem solving are done under the guidance of teacher in the classroom. We present a case study which was conducted at faculty of dentistry, Melaka Manipal Medical College to train year 3 dental students in prosthodontics using flipped model. Methods: The study was conducted at Faculty of Dentistry, Melaka Manipal Medical College, for the year 3 BDS students. We created four short videos, each of 15 minutes' duration, on the four cast partial denture topics. Reading materials and case examples were also provided to the students to go through before coming to class. For the classroom activity we chose real patient cases, with models and description. Students were asked to apply the principles and design a cast partial denture with justification to enhance critical thinking. Hands on experience on manipulation of impression materials was given to the students. We present a case study which was conducted at Faculty of Dentistry, Melaka-Manipal Medical College to train year 3 dental students in Prosthodontics using the flipped model. Results: Student reflections were collected and four main themes were generated which were qualitatively analyzed. Students highlighted that there was flexibility in learning and could revisit lectures whenever needed. They liked that the classroom activities were interactive and promoted collaborative and peer learning. Conclusion: The flipped classroom can enable students to be better prepared for the clinical experience and the teachers can expose them to problem solving and critical thinking components utilizing the teaching time allocated.</ns4:p>