DIGITISED IMAGES VERSUS A COMBINED CONVENTIONAL VIRTUAL MICROSCOPY AS A TEACHING TOOL IN ORAL PATHOLOGY LEARNING AND TEACHING

Background: Histopathology education has undergone substantial changes in recent years with the advancement of new technologies and teaching tools. Despite the differences between PowerPoint handouts of digital images projected on large screens and virtual microscopy techniques, these methods have similarities in its student learning compared with static images. Studies on the combined benefit of virtual and conventional microscopy against digital pathology images and their impact on student performance are sparse in the literature.

Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of combined virtual and live microscopy over digital image based pathology practical delivery in Griffith University Dental cohort enrolled in the oral pathology course. Also, qualitative data regarding students learning experience after the introduction of virtual microscopy was also analysed.

Methodology: A total of 205 students of which 106 students in one cohort of the third year Griffith Dentistry Program and 109 in the subsequent cohort of the same program. The former cohort was taught using the static digital images using PowerPoint and electronic handouts and the later cohort was taught using a combined virtual and light microscopy. Student experiences with virtual and light microscopy were also collected using a questionnaire. Marks obtained by students at the end of semester by each method was tabulated and analysed. Students’ qualitative feedbacks on delivery methods were also analysed.

Results: The use of combined virtual and light microscopy has shown significant reduction in the number of high achieving (High Distinction, > 85% marks) students at the end of year oral pathology practical exam compared to the static digital image method (35% versus 62%) (p < 0.05). Also, the number of low performed (< 70%) or failed (< 50%) students was higher in the former mode of oral pathology practical sessions. On the other hand, student groups with 71-85% marks showed a substantial increase in their number with the use of this combined microscopy method (46% versus 33%). In addition, the use of virtual microscopy along with the light microscopy has received a positive feedback and majority of the students have strongly agreed that this method has significantly enhanced their learning experience in oral pathology.

Discussion: This study has proven the effectiveness of combined virtual and light microscopy in areas such as, in differentiating high achieving students and normal distribution of marks across the whole four grades; enhanced learning environment enabling different magnifications and dissecting through the whole of abnormal tissue morphology compared with static digital images that can only depict a selective area of the original pathology and failed to explaining the whole disease process. Conclusions: A combined virtual/live microscopy supplemented with online digital images has shown to enhance the student experience, learning and performance or outcome such as assessment in oral pathology of dental students.