@article {Mueller-Joseph64, author = {Laura J. Mueller-Joseph and Luisa Nappo-Dattoma}, title = {Collaborative Learning in Pre{\textendash}Clinical Dental Hygiene Education}, volume = {87}, number = {2}, pages = {64--72}, year = {2013}, publisher = {American Dental Hygienists{\textquoteright} Association}, abstract = {Purpose: Dental hygiene education continues to move beyond mastery of content material and skill development to learning concepts that promote critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of collaborative learning and determine the growth in intellectual development of 54 first-year dental hygiene students. Methods: The control group used traditional pre-clinical teaching and the experimental group used collaborative pedagogy for instrument introduction. All students were subjected to a post-test evaluating their ability to apply the principles of instrumentation. Intellectual development was determined using pre- and post-tests based on the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development. Student attitudes were assessed using daily Classroom Assessment Activities and an end-of-semester departmental course evaluation. Results: Findings indicated no significant difference between collaborative learning and traditional learning in achieving pre-clinical competence as evidenced by the students{\textquoteright} ability to apply the principles of instrumentation. Advancement in intellectual development did not differ significantly between groups. Value added benefits of a collaborative learning environment as identified by the evaluation of student attitudes included decreased student reliance on authority, recognition of peers as legitimate sources of learning and increased self-confidence. A significant difference in student responses to daily classroom assessments was evident on the 5 days a collaborative learning environment was employed. Conclusion: Dental hygiene students involved in a pre-clinical collaborative learning environment are more responsible for their own learning and tend to have a more positive attitude toward the subject matter. Future studies evaluating collaborative learning in clinical dental hygiene education need to investigate the cost/benefit ratio of the value added outcomes of collaborative learning.}, issn = {1553-0205}, URL = {https://jdh.adha.org/content/87/2/64}, eprint = {https://jdh.adha.org/content/87/2/64.full.pdf}, journal = {American Dental Hygienists{\textquoteright} Association} }