The perceptions of dental hygiene students regarding the use of narrative pedagogy in dental hygiene curriculum

The purpose of this study was to elucidate how dental hygiene students perceived their learning experience when Narrative Pedagogy was used in their dental hygiene curriculum. In addition, this study explored how dental hygiene students perceived their learning experience in regard to critical thinking and interpersonal communication skills when Narrative Pedagogy was used in the learning environment. Further, this study examined the influence learning style preference had on students' perceptions of the effectiveness of the narrative approach to learning.This was a mixed methodology study The study sample was purposefully selected from 2nd-year dental hygiene students that attended an associate degree dental hygiene program. Those students that positively responded to a letter of invitation were asked to complete the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire. Based on Learning Style Preference and age, eight students were selected, two from each learning dimension, to be interviewed to ascertain their perceptions regarding Narrative Pedagogy.This study revealed that all participants felt that listening to and interpreting their classmates' stories were the most important elements that contributed to the effectiveness of the narrative experience. These findings strongly suggest that students that engage in narrative exercises will increase their ability to listen to patients and accurately interpret their patients' responses to provide quality care. Reflection and dialogue created an opportunity for students to develop caring practices. In addition, the narrative approach to learning can influence the way students communicate with their patients.In addition, this study found learning style preference was a factor in identifying the differences in students' perceptions in regard to the use of Narrative Pedagogy. No one learning style preference was identified as best suited to learn in the narrative environment. The findings from this study are not conclusive on the issue of learning style preference and more research is needed.