Students’ perception of WhatsApp usage as an additional learning aid at a Dental College in Pakistan

Perception of WhatsApp as an additional learning Aid

  • Afifa Ehsan Associate Professor, Department of Oral Biology, Faryal Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Naila Umer Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Faryal Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Ali Raza University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Maryam Masood Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faryal Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Farhan Riaz Assistant Professor, Department of Community Dentistry, Faryal Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Sana Akram Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontology, Faryal Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Keywords: Smartphones, Active Learning, Collaborative learning, Social media, Undergraduate medical education, Pakistan

Abstract

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Technological advancements have transformed society into a global entity; medical education is no exception. Innumerable social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Edmodo encourage collaborative learning, improved communication, and knowledge-sharing. The current study aims to assess students' perception of WhatsApp as an additional educational and learning aid for communication purposes, sharing of learning materials, and as a discussion forum.

METHODOLOGY:  This cross-sectional study was carried out from July 2021 to December 2021 at Faryal Dental College, Sheikhupura, Pakistan. A standardized questionnaire was prepared and circulated amongst students of 1st Year BDS to Final Year BDS. Responses were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.

RESULTS:  The study comprised 150 participants; the majority, i.e., 62% (n=93), were females, and 38% (n=57) were males. Learning through WhatsApp was found to be useful by 90% of students. An association (p≤0.02) was found among both genders regarding the usefulness of WhatsApp as an additional learning aid.

CONCLUSION: These days, social media is a dominant mechanism used for communal exchanges and is also utilized as an additional aid for teaching and learning purposes. Incorporating social media with conventional class teaching in medical education has evident advantages.

Published
2023-02-14
How to Cite
Afifa Ehsan, Naila Umer, Ali Raza, Maryam Masood, Farhan Riaz, & Sana Akram. (2023). Students’ perception of WhatsApp usage as an additional learning aid at a Dental College in Pakistan. Journal of University Medical & Dental College, 14(1), 539-544. https://doi.org/10.37723/jumdc.v14i1.747
Section
Original Article