The Role of Social Media in Supporting Learning and Clinical Exposure: Perceptions of Dental Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54361/LJMR.20.1.08Keywords:
social media, dental education, operative dentistry, dental studentAbstract
Social media (SM) has become a widely used tool among dental students for communication and educational purposes. Its growing use raises questions about its impact on learning behaviors and academic performance. Aim: explore the extent of social media use among dental students and to examine their perceptions of its role in supporting learning processes and facilitating clinical exposure of fourth-year and intern dental students at Zawia University, Libya.Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire distributed to 105 dental students. Data were analyzed using frequency and percentage distributions. Results: All participants reported daily SM use. Facebook and YouTube were the most accessed platforms. Most students agreed that SM enhanced access to learning materials (97.1%) and supported independent learning (85.3%). The Internet was the preferred source for dental information (57.1%), mainly due to ease of access and updated content. However, a considerable proportion used SM during lectures and clinical sessions, and 37.1% had difficulty limiting SM use during examinations. Additionally, 57 students reported that SM negatively affected their academic performance. Conclusion: Social media serves as a beneficial supplementary tool for dental education, but excessive use may negatively influence academic performance. Structured guidelines promoting responsible SM use are recommended.
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