Evaluation of Dentistry Students' Lifelong Learning Tendencies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Aim: Dentistry education is a life-long, continuous education. The aim of this study was to determine the lifelong learning (LLL) tendencies of the dental faculty students who were receiving distance education during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: 258 dentistry students participated the study. Research data was collected by 'Lifelong Learning Disposition Scale' (LDS). In the first part of the questionnaire, students were asked to reply socio-demographic questions and their ability to learn during the distance education process of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second part, there were questions about LLL. The low score obtained from the scale indicates that the LLL tendency is high. ANOVA and t-test were used for analysis of LDS score, and the Mann Whitney-U and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for sub-dimensions. Results: During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 40.3% of the students stated their status of learning skills as medium, 28.7% as bad and 11.6% as very bad. Students' mean score on the LDS scale was 88.26 ± 9.8. The mean LDS score was statistically significant according to their class, gender and their assessment of learning skills during the COVID-19 pandemic (p <0.05). There was no correlation between the monthly income and academic success levels of the students and their LDS scores (p> 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that the students made their own evaluations correctly during the Covid-19 pandemic. LDS scores of the students who stated their learning status as bad were significantly higher by 1,187 times. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to communicate using educational methods that aim to support students' learning skills. Therefore, new interventions should be planned to increase students' LLL tendencies.