Hybrid versus distance learning environment for a paediatric dentistry course and its influence on students’ satisfaction: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: During the novel COVID-19 pandemic, many universities adopted distance and hybrid learning as a modification to their teaching methods to ensure continuity of education, abiding by the worldwide recommendations of social distancing. AIM: To compare learning environments created through hybrid learning versus distance learning, to deliver paediatric dentistry course, and to assess the correlation between the created learning environment and students’ satisfaction. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, students enrolled in a hybrid paediatric dentistry course were asked to participate in an electronic survey. The learning environment was assessed using Distance Educational Learning Environment Survey (DELES), students’ satisfaction was assessed using Satisfaction Scale (SS). Retrospective data for distance learning course was used for comparison. Ordinal data were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient was used to correlate students’ satisfaction with DELES. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict satisfaction. RESULTS: A total of 376 students’ data were considered in the study. Hybrid learning had significantly higher scores than distance learning in 3 DELES scales. There was a statistically significant weak positive correlation between satisfaction and DELES. Multiple regression analysis model was statistically significant and accounted for (22.8%) of the variance in students’ satisfaction. Only “Instructor support” (p = 0.001) and “Student autonomy” (p < 0.001) had a significant effect on satisfaction. CONCLUSION: This study supports the superiority of a hybrid learning environment over a complete distance learning environment, it also shows that satisfaction is correlated and can be predicted by the created learning environment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been registered on clinicaltrials.gov on 21 May 2020 with an identifier: NCT04401371. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-022-03417-4.