Dental student's satisfaction of applying a combination of lecture and work in small groups compared to applying only lecture: a quasi-experimental study

Choosing an appropriate style of teaching-learning by educators is a way to reach high quality education. The objective of this study conducted in Babol Dental School was to compare dental students, satisfaction of teaching theoretical general pathology course by means of a combination of lecture and work in small groups with their satisfaction of teaching the course by means of only lecture. This study was performed in the second semester of school year 2011-12 and 2012-13. In 2012 (intervention group, response rate=92%), the teaching of theoretical general pathology course was implemented by means of a combination of lecture and work in small groups, but in 2013 (control group, response rate=81%) by means of only lecture. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used to assess students, satisfaction of the teaching methods. To compare the mean total score of satisfaction (ranging from 18 through 90) between the two groups, T-test was used. Comparing the mean total scores between the two groups revealed that students, satisfaction of the combined teaching method was significantly higher (P<0.001). The difference of satisfaction between genders (separately for each group) was not significant in combination group and lecture group (P=0.63 and P=0.87, respectively). Regarding learning, combining lecture with other teaching methods such as work in small groups may increase health sciences student's satisfaction. In regard to teaching theoretical general pathology course, our findings could confirm this hypothesis.