Reshaping the Undegraduate Curriculum Development and Delivery through Visual Analytics

Abstract Background Visual analytics, as a powerful tool, can aid in planning and implementing future changes to the curriculum mapping, thereby ensuring that medical education aligns with the ever-evolving needs of the healthcare system. However, there has been a lack of empirical studies exploring the potential benefits and methodologies of utilizing visual analytics to reshape medical education curricula. The study aimed to describe the use of visual analytics to analyse part of a curriculum for an undergraduate dental program. Methods A qualitative document analysis of the part of a curriculum for the undergraduate dental program at Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College was conducted to identify flaws and propose improvements. The software ATLAS.ti version 9 was used to analyze the relationships among different components of the Behavioral Sciences subject. One-to-one interviews with subject specialists and medical education experts were conducted to gather insights and suggestions for fulfilling the gaps, improved curriculum redesign using visual analytics. Data triangulation was employed to bolster the validity and reliability of the findings. Results The results show eleven different aspects categorized into four major categories, identified after analysis of a part of the curriculum for an undergraduate dental program. ATLAS.ti facilitated the visualization of relationships between designed and delivered curricula including; (i) outcome discrepancies, (ii) alignment of learning outcomes and teaching methodologies, (iii) the relationship between learning outcomes and assessment, and (iv) a comprehensive gap analysis of learning outcomes, teaching methodologies and assessment. Conclusion The findings emphasize the importance of visual analytics in curriculum mapping. The application of visual analytics enables curriculum developers and educators to uncover hidden patterns in educational data and create a well-aligned curriculum that meets the evolving needs of the healthcare system. Further exploration of visual analytics in diverse educational contexts offers promising opportunities for research in the areas of health informatics, information technology, and medical education.