A PROBLEM-BASED APPROACH TO A COURSE IN ORAL-DIAGNOSIS

This paper describes the first two years of an attempt to introduce a problem-based approach into the teaching of oral diagnosis. The most s ignificant features of this approach were the involvement of the stude nts in setting course goals, the use of student journals to encourage reflection on learning, the encouragement of self-assessment, and an a ttempt to relate clinical practice to problem-solving seminars. The pa per reports on student reactions to the course and discusses further d evelopments in the course, in particular attempts to develop a more ex plicit understanding in students of their own learning processes, and more attention to factors in the learning environment which engender c onfidence, reflection and self-evaluation.