The effect of knowledge of the desired outcome on dental motor performance

Abstract

Knowledge of the desired outcome of a series of movements is a critical component of motor performance, since it is used to develop the appropriate motor program and to form a basis for understanding terminal extrinsic feedback and formulating subjective reinforcement. In dentistry, information about the desired outcome is almost always disseminated in a lecture and laboratory manual, and a demonstration often is provided. However, mastery by students usually is not given the importance it deserves. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an instructional strategy designed to increase the students' knowledge of the desired outcome by determining whether such knowledge had an effect on dental motor performance. Two intact groups of first‐year dental students were randomly assigned to a control or experimental treatment. The control treatment included conventional written and oral descriptions of criteria and methods for completing the occlusal (n = 93) and mesio‐occlusal (n = 99) amalgam preparations. The experimental treatment directed the students' attention to critical features of tooth anatomy, and the preparation and methods for assessing performance. Results indicated statistically significant differences (p less than .05) in favor of the experimental group for both performance and degree of agreement with the instructor's evaluation of the mesio‐occlusal amalgam only.

A systematic literature review of assessment feedback in preclinical dental education

“…There were two main types of study: (a) studies comparing an intervention with a control group—two randomised control trials (RCT) 27,28 and three non‐randomised studies (NRS) 29‐31 ; and (b) studies comparing intervention outcomes within the same group overtime—eight NRS 31‐38 (Table 1). One prospective three‐arm study 30 compared an intervention with a control group and within the same group overtime.…”

A blended learning approach to teaching pre‐clinical complete denture prosthodontics

“…The PPt presentations were instrumental in demonstrating both the desired outcome for each individual step and the final result of the simulated project. According to Feil and Reed , awareness of the final product is a major contributing factor in the development of motor skills.…”

“…According to Garrison and Kanuka , a blended curriculum encourages the students to learn both individually and together in a ‘community of inquiry’, allowing for a personalised ‘reflective element’ of review. Additionally, computer and web‐based technology potentially enriches student learning whilst knowledge of the desired outcome has a positive effect on student motor performance . Dale described audio‐visual materials as a means to supply a solid basis for conceptual learning, by the association of words with meaningful visual associations .…”

Video‐Assisted Clinical Instruction in Dentistry (VACID) enhances real‐time visualisation of clinical procedures

“…Although pre‐clinical laboratory exercises, small group demonstrations and one‐on‐one training constitute important aspects of clinical skills training, observing live clinical procedures helps to reinforce acceptable clinical protocols, allows identification of standard practice and helps to promote student learning and skill acquisition. Research has shown that knowledge of the desired outcome represents a major contributor to developing dental motor skills (6). Instructional approaches that result in the acquisition of knowledge about the desired outcome and that demonstrate performances necessary to obtain such an outcome are important in facilitating the learning of student dental motor skills (7).…”