EFFECTS OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ON DENTAL HYGIENE COURSE STUDENTS’ CORE COMPETENCIES

Jung- Hyun Park and Mi-Suk Cho*

ABSTRACT

This study applied a one-group pre/post-test design to investigate the effects of a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method on dental hygiene course student’s core abilities. The data was analysed by SPSS ver. 24.0 using the paired samples t-test. Used core competencies were classified according to the following categories: ‘Basic core competency’ and ‘Major core competency’. As a result of comparing both competencies before and after the introduction of PBL education, in both areas, the score after introducing the technique was higher than before the introduction, and both had the same results for all sub-competences as well showing a significant result(p<0.001). And to conclude, this investigation illustrates that PBL-based education influences learners to develop their core competencies and suggests that it is necessary to build a creative curriculum and employ new teaching methods, for students to have both basic and major core competencies for students.

Keywords: Problem based learning, Core competency, Dental hygiene course student.