SELF-DIRECTED ACTIVITY AS AN IMPORTANT PART IN PREPARING FUTURE DENTISTS

The aim of the research was to study the perception of various aspects of independent work by students during the mastery of the educational component "Pediatric Therapeutic Dentistry." The subjects of the study were 4th and 5th-year students who were studying the educational component "Pediatric Therapeutic Dentistry." A questionnaire was developed, which included 13 questions about the organization, implementation, and educational-methodological support of independent work; 240 questionnaires were completed by the students. The data were analyzed in Excel using the chi-square criterion. The independent work of the students involved processing topics of extracurricular work and completing tasks in eAristo, preparing for practical classes, module control or exams, writing medical histories, preparing essays and scientific research with presentations at student conferences. The results were statistically processed in Excel 2016, and Pearson's criterion was used to calculate significant differences. 61.2% of students agreed that planning and monitoring independent work could significantly improve learning outcomes, but 42.1% of respondents believe that increasing the demands of instructors is sufficient for this purpose, while 38.1% require full methodological support from instructors (p<0.05). The majority of students responded that they spend between 2 to 3 hours on independent work during pediatric therapeutic dentistry classes (p<0.05). 48% of students would prefer to update their knowledge only when necessary. Most students agreed that planning and monitoring independent work could significantly enhance learning outcomes, and effective forms of independent work include the use of various visual and simulation materials, lectures, textbooks, as well as mastering practical skills during educational practice. Given that a significant portion of students prefer to update their knowledge only when needed, it is important to diversify measures to increase students' motivation for independent work.