Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) (Community Oral Health)

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Browsing by Author "Ajam, Tasneem"

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    Calibration of clinical teaching and assessment in a bachelor of oral health programme
    (University of the Western Cape, 2025) Ajam, Tasneem
    Calibration in clinical programmes is a fundamental process that ensures consistency in teaching and assessing standards. Empirical evidence from a Bachelor of Oral Health programme at a South African university highlighted that, despite dedicated efforts to improve consistency in teaching and assessment practices, the absence of a formal calibration guideline impeded optimal coherence among clinical teachers. This study aimed to explore current calibration practices in clinical teaching and assessment within the programme to inform calibration initiatives and guide the development of a formalized calibration process. Framed within an interpretivist qualitative paradigm and guided by a case study design, the research was grounded in social constructivism and the concept of Communities of Practice. Purposive sampling included BOH academic staff, second- and third-year BOH students, and a senior member of faculty management at the Faculty of Dentistry. Data was collected through questionnaires, focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, followed by Thematic Analysis. The following thematic categories emerged: Institutional and Faculty strategies for teaching excellence, established calibration practices, strengths in clinical teaching and assessment, challenges in clinical teaching and assessment, and opportunities for calibration and improving consistency. The findings revealed that while the BOH programme is guided by Institutional and National policy frameworks, including quality assurance protocols such as UWC's assessment policy, calibration efforts remained inconsistently applied. Workshops, rubric development, and reflective practices supported clinical teaching, but part-time staff lacked formal training, and ad hoc calibration activities lacked systematic follow-through. Established practices, including staff development sessions, mentorship, and informal discussions, helped enhance teaching and assessment practices; however, inconsistent engagement influenced variability. Students perceived a disconnect between theoretical teaching and clinical application, despite appreciating the continuity of having a single clinical teacher throughout their training and engaging in collaborative case-based learning. Opportunities to strengthen calibration included cocreating clinical protocols and assessments, developing part-time staff, and enhancing mentorship and collaborative spaces. The findings of this study offer actionable insights to inform both educational practices and the development of a formalized calibration process for clinical teaching and assessment. Such a process can promote greater consistency, fairness, and equity in student learning experiences. Furthermore, these insights have the potential to guide Institutional and Faculty- level improvements in quality assurance mechanisms, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of excellence in clinical education.