Distance learning approach during COVID-19 pandemic for undergraduate medical students in four major universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - a survey report on students perspective (original) (raw)
Related papers
Medical Science
Background: During COVID-19, the mode of education was changed completely to online, however, in medical colleges across Saudi Arabia, the lectures were a blend of online and offline (PBL, examination, clinical skills, and labs) activities. Aims: Our aim of this study to compare the learning outcomes in both medical and non-medical students and find out the challenges, limitations, and problems faced by medical students in the online and offline blended mode of teaching. Methods: After acquiring affirmative consent, 151 medical and non-medical students from Shaqra University were randomly engaged in a cross-sectional study. A classic questionnaire was created in Google Form and a virtual assessment was done. The acquired students' data was assessed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel software. Results: Over 85% of both medical and non-medical students chose online real-time training methods. In the COVID-19 duration, more than 80% of medical (M) and non-medical (NM) students said that virtual teaching was comparatively more difficult for them to focus on than the on-site teaching. Over 50% of both M and NM students believe that the COVID-19 epidemic damaged their grades this semester/block. Surprisingly, after receiving the vaccination, more than 80% of M and NM students expressed interest in on-site instruction. Conclusions: The study clinched that the online mode of education was disliked by many students regardless of the stream and are eager for offline mode of education.
Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a sudden shift from face-to-face to distance learning. We explored medical students' views of online learning during this pandemic at the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of students in years two, three and four (n= 559) using an electronic questionnaire. Data were collected from April 10 to May 5, 2021. The survey included three domains: behavioral, affective, and cognitive. We also analyzed the association between students' perceptions and certain demographic and institutional factors. Results: The number of respondents was 311 (response rate: 55.6%; 27.7% males, 72.3% females). Participants were generally satisfied with distance learning (54.6%), although they had less motivation (46.3%) and required more effort (32.2%). Most students preferred distance learning for theoretical parts, and face-to-face approach for practical components (73.3%). Participants reported that distance learning, improved interaction with instructors and classmates (45.6% and 48.9%, respectively), small group learning (47.6%), independent learning (75.3%) and problem-solving skills (44.7%). The students were comfortable with online assessment (60.1%), and reported improved achievement in written (42.1%) and practical examinations (46%), but not in professional skills grades (21.6%). There was no association between students' perceptions and gender (p= 0.079), year of study (p= 0.28) or attendance of live or recorded sessions (p= 0.904), but there was a positive association with the availability of WiFi (p< 0.01) and attendance of college-organized activities (p< 0.0001). Conclusion: Distance learning was successfully implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were generally satisfied with distance learning and online assessment, but they had concerns about the clinical skills learning. After the pandemic is over, theoretical components of the curriculum can be delivered using distance learning, whereas hands on elements should be offered face-to-face. However, those curricular reforms will likely need investing in the information technology infrastructure.
Sustainability, 2021
Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) is an emerging pandemic that has caused significant disruptions to education, resulting in marked scholar closures across the world. The present study documents the student perception of the online educational process at six universities in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The individual variable factors, i.e., institution, sex, and blended learning, that might influence student perception were also investigated. In this respect, a questionnaire that assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the online learning process and student perception was emailed to a total of 17,230 students from 3 institutions (medical, applied health and dental students) affiliated with six universities in Saudi Arabia. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to determine the validity of the questionnaire. A total of 4850 (28%) students responded to the questionnaire and 46.9% (n = 2275) of the respondents were highly satisfied with their online education. Analy...
Perception of distance learning among undergraduate medical students during COVID-19 pandemic
Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 2023
In response to the newly emerging coronavirus disease or COVID-19 pandemic and its profound consequences on the world, many changes have been made to medical education. It includes teaching and learning methods that ensure the educational process’s success. The Andalas University Faculty of Medicine, Indonesia had to implement new online teaching strategies. This study examined how medical students perceived online education during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study is cross-sectional, employed online questionnaires. The response was that most students prefer face-to-face learning in practicum and clinical skills, which require hands-on methods to improve student skills. Half the students were satisfied, and several were neutral about distance learning. The student who agrees that the lecturer is active and has the expertise and knowledge for the class is more satisfied with distance learning (p<0.001). The student who agrees about the platform quality, understandable learning guide, and facility from faculty has a higher level of satisfaction with distance learning (p<0.001). This study concluded that a medical student at the Andalas University Faculty of Medicine was mainly satisfied with the institution’s response to the pandemic. However, medical faculty must evaluate and improve the quality of education in online learning.
Advances in medical education and practice, 2022
To explore the attitudes of medical students at King Saud University (KSU) toward online distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine the effects of gender, academic year and level of computer skills on student attitudes toward distance learning. Methods: A previously validated questionnaire was distributed to participants via WhatsApp using a stratified random sampling method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0 statistical software. Means and standard deviations were used to examine quantitative variables, while frequencies and percentages were used to examine qualitative variables. Results: Our study included 533 students; 71.9% of participants were satisfied with online classes, while 59.6% struggled to receive explanations due to limitations to face-to-face interactions. Two-thirds of participants thought that online classes were more convenient because of their flexibility with respect to location. A similar proportion (65.3%) believed that in situations of distance learning, it was difficult to meet and work with friends. The majority (88.7%) of participants agreed that distance learning saved time and effort spent traveling to campus. Finally, most participants 355 (66.6%), favored blended learning, while only 111 (20.8%) of participants preferred in-class learning. Students in preclinical years had more negative attitudes regarding face-to-face interactions (66.5% vs 54.9%, P=0.027) and meeting with friends (69.3% vs 58.7%, P=0.026) than did students in clinical years. Gender and level of computer skills did not affect students' attitudes toward distance learning (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of student participants felt that online distance learning was an effective option during the pandemic, but they preferred to preserve face-to-face teaching as a concurrent option. Attitudes toward certain aspects of distance learning were more negative among students in preclinical years than among students in clinical years. We did not find any effects of gender or level of computer skills on student attitudes toward distance learning.
Qanun Medika - Medical Journal Faculty of Medicine Muhammadiyah Surabaya
Background: Medical education throughout the world has experienced major changes as a consequence of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Indonesia has instructed physical distancing so that teaching and learning activities, including in the Faculty of Medicine, must be carried out at home with online methods to reduce the risk of COVID distribution. Objective: to explore undergraduate medical students’ perspectives towards distance learning during early COVID 19 pandemic at Muhammadiyah Surabaya University - Faculty of Medicine (MSU-FM), Indonesia. Methods: a qualitative study of students’ online survey responses had been done. Thematic analysis based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technolgy (UTAUT) constructs was done to ecplore students’ perspectives. Results: Students have a positive perspective related to performance expectancy of distance learning. This factor have been perceived as factor that support the behavior of the use of distance learn...
Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2023
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected educational institutions and caused the transfer to distance learning. The study aimed to assess medical students' satisfaction with synchronous distance learning (SDL) during the pandemic and predict their choice of it in the future. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students at the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in July 2021. An online questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic and educational characteristics, satisfaction, and perspective on the future choice of SDL. IBM SPSS Statistics, version 26, was used to analyze the qualitative data on descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Students' satisfaction and future choice of SDL were 43.2% and 20.2%, respectively. Regression analysis revealed the significance of SDL predictors with a direct relationship in the case of gender and academic performance and predictors with an inverse relationship in the case of residency, student life satisfaction, and SDL with student satisfaction. In the predictive model, student satisfaction and probability of future choice of SDL over traditional learning were 59.5% and 43.5%, respectively; over hybrid learning, it was 20.2% of students. Conclusion: The research findings suggested that slightly less than half of the respondent medical students were satisfied by distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic when their satisfaction probability was significantly higher in the predictive model. The predictive model of perspective of choice of distance learning did not show statistically significant results compared with traditional and hybrid learning.
Frontiers in Public Health
Background and ObjectivesOff-campus online learning methods abruptly increased and gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies have highlighted the limitations of online learning mode; however, further studies on the experiences of medical students are needed. This study aimed to investigate the preclinical medical students and faculty members' experiences with online education and learning.Subjects and MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, data were collected using convenience sampling. Two hundred nine students and 13 faculty members who participated in the online courses offered during the spring semester of 2019–2020 completed an online questionnaire. A 30-item questionnaire for the students and a 25-item questionnaire for the faculty were used in this cross-sectional study.ResultsOverall, 30% of the student sample was satisfied; importantly, high-achieving students (GPA > 3.5) were less satisfied (25 vs. 32%; p = 0.006). Satisfaction was also low (35...
Mansoura-Manchester Medical Students' Perception of Online Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), 2022
As one of the strategies adopted to combat the spread of Covid-19, The Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education endorsed implementation of online learning in the Egyptian universities. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the perception of the medical students in Mansoura-Manchester program towards the current practices of online learning mode during lockdown of the universities due to Covid-19 pandemic. Online questionnaire has been distributed to all students through April to June 2020 and 224 responses have been obtained and analysed. Results showed variable responses from the students. Some responses appreciated the convenience and flexible time (39.9%) of online learning with the advantage of getting instant feedback (5.4%) while others see it has not suitable at all for (0.44%) teaching medicine. Some responses find it harder to be motivated during the online mode (20.5%) and there is less social interaction (11.6%) while others prefer it as it gives more chance to shy students to express (14.3%). Some see it requires more budget for internet plan (6.3%) while others see it more cost saving because they saved the transportation fees (10.3%). It can be concluded that most of students are open to practice online learning and objectively gave positive recommendations that can be explained by and related to the dramatic sudden shift to this mode of learning due to Covid-19 pandemic. It is recommended to assess the students' feedback after a longer duration of experience and to take in consideration the social and personal variations among the students.
International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2021
The educational system in Malaysia, including schools, colleges, and universities, is based on a traditional system. The outbreak of COVID-19 has an impact on the educational system across the world because it was forced to shut down during pandemics and changed from traditional methods to online and distance learning(ODL) or non-face to face. Due to this nature, COVID-19 tremendously affected the personal interaction of lecturers and students. The absence of traditional classroom teaching and computer-based learning has emerged as the closest replacement for offline teaching and the students' perception and readiness about the online distance learning adopted during the covid-19 pandemic, mainly laboratory-based courses in the Faculty of Health Sciences. In the present study, 265 diploma students of