2OO9 – 2O1O - Faculty of Dentistry - University of Otago

Education Research
Programme Leader: Professor Tom Kardos
OVERVIEW
The Education Research Theme is a relatively new grouping
within the Faculty that promotes the recognition of teaching
as a professional and scholarly activity through research
into dental education, teaching and learning. Faculty-based
educational research aligns with two of the University’s
strategic imperatives: achieving excellence in research
informed teaching; and ensuring outstanding campus
environments and student experience. Most teaching staff
within the Faculty are engaged in educational research in the
form of teaching and course evaluations. Ongoing evaluation
can lead to improved teaching programmes and student
outcomes. Several senior academic staff actively participate
in international forums on dental education, where they
share their knowledge and expertise. Some staff are also
engaged in research that examines teaching and learning as
a field of academic scholarship. Such research can inform
our understandings of teaching and learning generally,
improve the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate
educational experiences within the Faculty, foster reflective
teaching practice, improve educational outcomes, and
facilitate research-informed curriculum development.
STAFF
Staff included in the education research theme are
involved in in-house educational research, educational
advisory work/engagement, and educational research
that examines teaching/learning as a field of academic
scholarship. Staff actively engaged in educational research
groups include: Ms Susan Moffat, Mrs Rosemary Kardos,
Professor Tom Kardos, Mrs Alison Meldrum, Dr Dawn
Coates, Dr Vivienne Anderson, Professor Jules Kieser, Dr
Lyndie Foster Page, Dr Andrew Tawse-Smith, Associate
Professor Alison Rich, Mr Neil Waddell, Professor Gregory
Seymour, Professor Robert Love and Mrs Lara Friedlander.
Students include Jayaram Subramanian (DClinDent),
Michelle Kang (BDS), and Lilian Pang (BDS).
Third-year BDS students after their arrival from International
Medical University, Malaysia. Staff members present: Dr Lyndie
Foster Page and Dr Andrew Tawse-Smith.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Educational research conducted or completed during the
2009-2010 period has focussed on the following broad
areas:
• Oral Health workforce issues in New Zealand and
the United States of America;
• teaching in Oral Health degree programmes in NZ
and the USA;
• student, graduate and employer perceptions of the
Bachelor of Oral Health programme;
• student, graduate and employer perceptions of the
Bachelor of Dental Technology programme;
• Dental technicians’ continuing education needs;
• teaching and learning in endodontics;
• teaching and learning in cariology;
• Bachelor of Oral Health and Bachelor of Dental
Surgery students’ perceptions of their educational
environment and future professional work;
• fostering smooth transitions for students in Malaysia-
New Zealand partnered dental education;
• Bachelor of Dental Surgery students’ healthpromoting
attributes; and
• Doctor of Clinical Dentistry students’ perceptions of
their postgraduate programmes.
EXTERNAL COLLABORATIONS
External collaborations have been established with Oral
Health colleagues in New Zealand and in Australia.
Other educational research collaborations have been
established with Pamela Tolson, American Association of
Public Health Dentistry; Dr Caswell Evans, University of
Illinois; Associate Professor Margherita Fontana, University
of Michigan; and Dr Karla Gambetta-Tessini, University of
Melbourne.
Professor Tom and Rosemary Kardos with Ms Pam Tolson and Dr
Caswell Evans about to board a local “taxi” in Alaska for an on-site visit
to Kwethluk, with the pilot and regional manager in the background.
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