Computing facilities available to final-year students at 3 UK dental schools in 1997/8: their use, and students' attitudes to information technology.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To identify computer facilities available in 3 dental schools where 3 different approaches to the use of technology-based learning material have been adopted and assess dental students' perception of their own computer skills and their attitudes towards information technology. DESIGN Multicentre cross sectional by questionnaire. SUBJECTS All 181 dental students in their final year of study (1997-8). RESULTS The overall participation rate was 80%. There were no differences between schools in the students' self assessment of their IT skills but only 1/3 regarded themselves as competent in basic skills and nearly 50% of students in all 3 schools felt that insufficient IT training had been provided to enable them to follow their course without difficulty. There were significant differences between schools in most of the other areas examined which reflect the different ways in which IT can be used to support the dental course. CONCLUSIONS 1. Students value IT as an educational tool. 2. Their awareness of the relevance of a knowledge of information technology for their future careers remains generally low. 3. There is a need to provide effective instruction in IT skills for those dental students who do not acquire these during secondary education.