The traditional teaching styles
The traditional teaching styles are advancing, and teachers are currently adjusting their teaching methods based on the student’s learning needs (Davis, 2009). Learning styles include authoritative, coach or demonstrative learning, the facilitator also known as activity learning, group learning and hybrid or blended styles. Many colleges not only aim to equip students with facts and knowledge but also to emphasis the application of such facts to solve real-life problems. Unlike, before, presently, students must be familiar with more than traditional subject area. They need to think critically, collaborate effectively with others, fit and understand the highly diverse community as well as transit smoothly from school work to practical work. As the content of learning is changing, the methodologies of teaching must change to be considered relevant.
Presently, service-learning is one methodology of teaching and learning that provides an excellent platform for building students’ academic skills and knowledge and their work-readiness skills and knowledge (Puri, Kaddoura & Dominick, 2013). It is a teaching and learning methodology that effectively combines the instructions of the teaching with relevant community service experiences while still meeting the goals of the given curriculum. Dental hygiene students, for instance, are community-oriented professionals who require not only the knowledge but also interactive, problem-solving and decision-making skills to bring an impact their patients effectively.
Dental hygiene students will meet patients during their community engagement and practicum experience in dental units. These mandates that these students be prepared to directly apply their theoretical models in their fields to ensure that they do not have a hard time in the community or with patients which calls for the pairing of community-based service activities with structure preparation and students reflections (Puri, Kaddoura & Dominick, 2013). This is to enable dental hygiene students to feel the real application of their theoretical knowledge in the community and allow them to synthesize their course material not only with the content-based idea but also with an improved sense of civic responsibility. Besides, it extends the student learning beyond the classroom into the community and creates the sense of care for patients who they will attend to after completion of their course which is crucial in every part of the education aspect.
In almost every aspect of education, interaction with people, and facing real-life problems is a must regardless of the field. Therefore it means that a learning method that both prepares students to transit effectively from theoretical classes to real-life situations by being able to reflect adequately is crucial. Service-learning is one of these vital learning methods that will equip students with academic knowledge and skills to adapt quickly and easily in their fields.
Service-learning happens in three modes. Firstly through the service-learning course where students are required to relate their community-based experiences to dental hygiene course objectives through structured reflection and learning activities throughout their academic curriculum (Puri, Kaddoura & Dominick, 2013). Secondly, universities are partnering with the communities to students to get involved in community services as a way of exposing them to what they will be doing after the completion of their course. The last model is internship, practicum and field experience, and these are common and a must in dental hygiene course requirements. It involves placing students in selected sites either in the community or dental departments such as dentist office where they will work collaboratively with other dental professionals, healthcare and the patients to provide services. It is an excellent opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills.
Service-learning is ongoing service-oriented learning that starts from the first day when dental hygiene students report to colleges to the day they complete their course. Its most significant part is the introduction and ensuring the continued engagement of the students to the community while giving them vital opportunity to reflect on the activities to frame their next activity and thus improve their transition of theoretical work to real-life problems.