A study to evaluate use of facebook as an educational tool in dentistry

Navdeep Kaur Sodhi; Kamalpreet Kaur; Dilawarjit Kaur

Volume : III, Issue : XII, December - 2014

A study to evaluate use of facebook as an educational tool in dentistry

Navdeep Kaur Sodhi, Kamalpreet Kaur, Dilawarjit Kaur

Abstract :

Background: Social networking sites are quickly becoming ubiquitous online. Most popular of these websites are Facebook, Bebo and Myspace. Incorporation of these networks is a relatively new addition to higher education, involving blending of formal and informal learning. Aim and objectives: To investigate views and attitude of dental professionals regarding use of facebook as an educational tool in dental profession. Materials and Method: A total of 800 dental professionals were enrolled using a self administered questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of nine questions regarding use of facebook in daily life and its use as an educational tool in dental profession. Data collected was put to statistical analysis using SPSS version 16.0. Results: It was observed that greater percentage of participants were in favor of using facebook as a tool for educational purposes in dentistry. Although higher percentage of participants reported advantages of facebook but pitfalls were also mentioned by some professionals, which could not be kept aside. Conclusion: Facebook may be used for pedagogical support to enhance student learning. It has many advantages as an educational tool but pitfalls and negative effects should also be kept in mind. It would be interesting to analyze impact of social networks on students learning and other aspects of education.