The influence of learning styles on the efficacy of flipped classroom in dental education

Flipped classrooms reverse the traditional classroom so that students have access to course materials before class and attend class after studying the course materials. While flipped classrooms have shown to be generally beneficial, recent research suggests that there are factors that influence the effectiveness of these classes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of learning style preferences as an influencing factor in flipped classroom, teaching wirebending in a practical orthodontics course. Sixty-seven fourth-year dental students were divided into two groups of 33 in a face-to-face classroom, and 34 in a flipped classroom. Students in both groups participated in five training sessions for wirebending training in orthodontics. The videos prepared for the flipped classroom were sent to the students one week later than the face-to-face classroom. After each session, an evaluation of the taught content was conducted. Before starting the study, the Felder and Soloman Learning Style Index questionaire was completed by the students and at the end of the course, a satisfaction questionnaire was completed. The statistical analysis was performed by using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and Cross-Call-Wallis tests. Students with an active learning style in the information processing dimension and an intuitive learning style in the information perception dimension and a sequential learning style in the information undrestanding dimension were more satisfied with the flipped classroom. Students with an active learning style in the information processing dimension and a sequential learning style in the information undrestanding dimension achieved higher scores in the flipped classroom. Learning style can be considered as a contributing factor to the better implementation of flipped classes and potentially increasing student satisfaction.