Biomedical subjects

Sarah A Gray

Publications and source records attributed to Sarah A Gray.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Student learning preferences and teaching implications.

One of the most serious challenges that dental educators face today is improving the level of student satisfaction with the curriculum and learning environment. To determine whether a particular teaching method might enhance student satisfaction with the learning process, a learning preference survey linked to sensory modalities was given to students in the four classes of the Temple University School of Dentistry. New Zealand educator Neil Fleming developed the survey called VARK (an acronym for Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic) in 1998. The purpose of this study was to measure the distribution of learning preference mean scores of the dental students and note any significant differences among classes, gender, and a sample population determined using 31,243 participants on the VARK website. Results clearly demonstrate that the dominant preference distributions for the two populations (dental student and sample population) are different. In particular, the proportions of learners who selected visual or kinesthetic are significantly different for the two populations, while the proportions of learners who selected aural or read/write are not significantly different. Dental students prefer visual learning at a higher percentage and kinesthetic learning at a lower percentage than the sample population measured in the VARK website. Inter-class differences varied, and gender differences were not significant. The distribution of dental student scores shows a preference for instructors who use strong visual presentations and facilitate note-taking during lectures. Dental educators should be aware of these differences in order to explore opportunities for making the educational experience more productive and enjoyable.

Auditory Perception↗

PubMed2003

The predictive utility of computer-simulated exercises for preclinical technique performance.

The objective of this research was to determine if a computerized simulated dental exercise predicts students' subsequent performance in preclinical technique courses. Twenty-nine first-year dental students voluntarily participated in the investigation prior to their first experience with a dental handpiece. These students prepared an ideal Class I amalgam on an ivorine mandibular first molar tooth after viewing ten-minute videotaped instructions. Students completed the Class I amalgam on a computerized dental treatment simulator (SIM). All participants' SIM scores were correlated with sub-test scores of the Dental Admission Test (DAT), predental overall grade point average (GPA), predental Biology/Chemistry/Physics grade point average (BCP), and grades from the first two preclinical laboratory technique courses (Lab 1 and Lab 2). The results showed a significant correlation between the simulator scores and DAT sub-test scores of Academic Average and Total Science, as well as Lab 1 scores. Based on these results, the simulator appears to be a good measure of general cognitive ability, including cognitive ability required to complete uncomplicated preclinical exercises.

Aptitude Tests↗

PubMed2002

Predicting student performance in preclinical technique courses using the theory of ability determinants of skilled performance.

The purpose of this research was to validate Ackerman's theory of ability determinants of skilled performance using sub-test scores of the Dental Admission Test (DAT) in predicting student performance in preclinical technique courses. The Ackerman theory is a valid, reliable schema in the applied psychology literature used to predict complex skill acquisition. Inconsistent stimulus-response skill acquisition depends primarily on determinants of cognitive ability. The cognitive phase of skill acquisition is associated with demands on general abilities. Task accomplishment requires attentional resources, and inconsistent tasks do not improve with practice. It is theorized that the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) is a valid cognitive determinant for spatial ability in this schema. Each new procedure learned in the preclinical technique courses is novel, includes a spatial relations component, and reflects inconsistent skill acquisition. The PAT scores of four classes were compared to the final grades in eight preclinical technique courses. Results showed that PAT scores account for a significantly high proportion, approximately 25 percent, of the variance of the final grades in the preclinical technique courses. Based on this strong correlation, dental school admissions committees may consider re-evaluating the weight of the DAT scores in the admissions process.

Achievement↗

PubMed2002

Are traditional cognitive tests useful in predicting clinical success?

The purpose of this research was to determine the predictive value of the Dental Admission Test (DAT) for clinical success using Ackerman's theory of ability determinants of skilled performance. The Ackerman theory is a valid, reliable schema in the applied psychology literature used to predict complex skill acquisition. Inconsistent stimulus-response skill acquisition depends primarily on determinants of cognitive ability. Consistent information-processing tasks have been described as "automatic," in which stimuli and responses are mapped in a manner that allows for complete certainty once the relationships have been learned. It is theorized that the skills necessary for success in the clinical component of dental schools involve a significant amount of automatic processing demands and, as such, student performance in the clinics should begin to converge as task practice is realized and tasks become more consistent. Subtest scores of the DAT of four classes were correlated with final grades in nine clinical courses. Results showed that the DAT subtest scores played virtually no role with regard to the final clinical grades. Based on this information, the DAT scores were determined to be of no predictive value in clinical achievement.

Achievement↗