Comparison of the effectiveness of a serious game and pre-recorded lecture in diagnosis and treatment planning of oral lesions for dental students

Abstract

Abstract This research evaluated the effectiveness of an online simulation-based serious game as a learning tool in diagnosis and treatment planning for oral lesions (SimOL) in comparison to a pre-recorded lecture-based approach and to determine its appropriate integration into the undergraduate dental curriculum. A crossover randomized control trial was conducted with a cohort of 77 dental undergraduates. They were randomly assigned into two groups. Group A underwent SimOL followed by a pre-recorded passive lecture, whereas Group B experienced the converse learning sequence. Pre-assessment, Post-assessment I, and Post-assessment II were administered to evaluate knowledge improvement, along with a satisfaction questionnaire to gather learner perceptions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA with the Bonferroni post-hoc test. With two dropouts, this research included 75 students (Group A: n = 38 and Group B: n = 37). The results demonstrated statistically significant score differences across the three assessments in both groups. Significant improvements in assessment scores were observed after the initial instructional approaches in both groups (P 0.05). No statistically significant score differences were found between Group A and Group B in all assessments (P > 0.05). Participants held a positive perception of SimOL. These findings demonstrated the effectiveness of SimOL in enhancing knowledge related to the diagnosis and treatment planning of oral lesions at a level equivalent to that of a pre-recorded lecture, highlighting its potential as an interactive learning tool in dental education.

Keywords

• Dental education
• Interactive learning
• Learning design
• Serious game
• Technology-enhanced learning