Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
2-1-2023
Journal
Journal of Dental Education
Abstract
Purpose: Today's dental students, Generation Z (Gen Z), are said to learn differently than those of previous generations. As generations of dental students vary, our teaching styles must keep up with unique and changing groups of individuals.
Methods: This article discusses learner-focused teaching methods including techniques that address the characteristics of Gen Z learners. Blended learning methods that combine online media with traditional face-to-face sessions, team-based learning, and a flipped classroom format have previously been suggested as ways to increase learning effectiveness and student satisfaction.
Results: In this paper, the characteristics and preferences of Gen Z students are described along with the challenges they create with conventional teaching methods. An implementation strategy using principles from organizational agility and Bolman and Deal's Four Frames Model is proposed for dental schools to transition to a more learner-centered teaching approach.
Conclusions: The suggested strategy can be customized and could be useful to schools that wish to enhance their teaching methods to meet the learning needs of Gen Z dental students and beyond.
Keywords
Humans, Problem-Based Learning, Learning, Curriculum, Students, Education, Dental, Teaching, Generation Z, blended learning, computer-assisted instruction, curriculum innovation, dental education, flipped classroom, institutional/organizational development, teaching effectiveness, team-based learning
DOI
10.1002/jdd.13108
PMID
36135950
Recommended Citation
Walinski, Christopher J; Ontiveros, Joe C; Liu, Fei; Crain, Geralyn; and Vardar-Sengul, Saynur, "Optimizing Teaching Effectiveness in Dental Education for a New Generation of Learners" (2023). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 140.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthdb_docs/140
Published Open-Access
yes