Students' perception of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study of Polish medical students

Differences in perception of online anesthesiology between Thai medical students and teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE

Traditional anesthesiology learning was disrupted by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and replaced by online learning. Students and teachers did not prepare well for this change. Determining the differences in perceptions can close the gap and develop more effective curricula. Our study aims to compare students' and teachers' perceptions of online anesthesiology learning.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective descriptive study, a cross-sectional survey between July 2020 and January 2021 in the Anesthesiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Our participants were fifth-year medical students and teachers participating in online anesthesiology. We compared the perception of the teaching process, support system, learning outcomes, satisfaction, and preference. Using an online structured questionnaire survey with a 4-point Likert scale to measure the degree of agreement with each item. We analyzed the difference between students' and teachers' perceptions by topic.

RESULTS

We received responses from 174 students and 24 teachers. Students had a significantly higher proportion of positive perceptions than teachers on the teaching process (theoretical teaching, problem-based learning, feedback, and response system), on a support system (technological support, connectivity, and learning materials), on learning outcomes (clinical practice readiness, critical thinking, long-term memory, and enthusiasm), satisfaction score, and online learning preference (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Differences in perception were high in many aspects of online anesthesiology learning. This perception gap was particularly evident in the teaching process, support system, and learning outcomes. And Thai students had more preference for online learning than teachers. Strategies to reduce the gap should focus on teachers' training and supporting online learning should be concerned.

An Empirical Study on Emergency of Distant Tertiary Education in the Southern Region of Bangladesh during COVID-19: Policy Implication

Many fields have been affected by COVID-19, including education. The pandemic has prompted a change in education due to the requirement for social distancing. Campuses are now closed in many educational institutions across the globe, and teaching and learning are now conducted online. Internationalization has significantly slowed down. A mixed-method study was designed for this research, with the goal of ascertaining the impact of COVID-19 on Bangladeshi students enrolled in higher education during and after the pandemic. A questionnaire with 19 questions on a Google form was used to collect quantitative data using a 4-point Likert scale and was conducted on 100 students from different universities in the southern part of Bangladesh, such as Barisal University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University. For collecting qualitative data, six quasi-interviews were conducted. A statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative results demonstrated that during the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils continuously received teaching and learning. The current study's findings revealed a significant positive correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and teaching, learning, and student achievement and a significant negative correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and student goals. The study also revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental effect on students enrolled in higher education programs at the universities. The qualitative judgment showed that students faced many problems when joining classes, such as poor Internet connection and insufficient network and technological facilities, etc. Some students live in rural areas and have slow Internet speeds, which sometimes prevented them from joining class. The findings of the study can help policy makers in higher education to review and adopt a new policy in higher education in Bangladesh. It can also help education instructors in universities to develop a proper study plan for their students.

The Triple-S framework: ensuring scalable, sustainable, and serviceable practices in educational technology

Educational institutions are increasingly investing into digital delivery, acquiring new devices, and employing novel software and services. The rising costs associated with maintenance, in combination with increasing redundancy of older technologies, presents multiple challenges. While lesson content itself may not have changed, the educational landscape constantly evolves, where tertiary institutions are incorporating new modes of content delivery, hybrid-style learning, and interactive technologies. Investments into digital expansions must be taken with caution, particularly prior to the procurement of technology, with a need for the proposed interventions' scalability, sustainability, and serviceability to be considered. This article presents the Triple-S framework for educators, administrators, and educational institutions, and outlines examples of its application within curricula. The paper synthesises research evidence to provide the foundation underlying the key principles of the Triple-S framework, presenting a useful model to use when evaluating digital interventions. Utilising the framework for decisions regarding the acquisition of educational technology, devices, software, applications, and online resources can assist in the assurance of viable and  appropriate investments.

Medical Students' Perceptions Towards Online Teaching During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Background

The Covid-19 has made a huge impact on higher education. Online teaching and learning became essential to deliver educational activities in all areas including medical education. In this study, we aimed to investigate medical students' perceptions on the role of online teaching and learning in facilitating medical education.

Material and Methods

A cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire was conducted. Students eligible were medical students across all years at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. Perceptions analysis was conducted using SPSS software.

Results

A total of 563 students participated in the study (prominent category female 64%, n = 361). There was a significant increase in the number of hours devoted to online learning during the pandemic. Live lectures/tutorials platform via zoom showed the highest rate of interaction compared to pre-recorded lectures and learning materials uploaded on blackboard. 50% of the students disagreed that online teaching is as effective as face-to-face teaching. The greatest perceived enjoyable aspect included the online accessibility of materials. Whereas the most frequent perceived barrier to online learning included internet connection. 17% of students reflected a poor understanding of scientific materials through online PBL. More than 50% of students revealed that online theoretical lectures are as good as classroom or better. Whereas the majority (70%) were unable to learn clinical skills online. The results indicated high impact on students' physical activities (80%). Impacts were higher on pre-clinical students' health and social life than on clinical students.

Conclusion

Our findings reported that during emergency situations due to the pandemic, online teaching enables the continuity of medical education and provides adequate efficiency. The use of live online platforms showed high level of interaction. However, some barriers need to be addressed especially at the clinical skills development level to maximize the benefit of online teaching and learning.

The impact of a "short-term" basic intensive care training program on the knowledge of nonintensivist doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic: An experience from a population-dense low- and middle-income country

BACKGROUND

The utility of basic intensive care unit (ICU) training comprising a "1-day course" has been scientifically evaluated and reported in very few studies, with almost no such study from resource-limited settings.

AIM

The study assessed the utility of basic ICU training comprising of a "1-day course" in increasing the knowledge of nonintensivist doctors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is an observational study conducted at a medical university in North India in 2020. The participants were nonintensivist doctors attending the course. The course was designed by intensivists, and it had four domains. The participants were categorised on the basis of their duration of ICU experience and broad speciality. Pretest and posttest was administered, which was analysed to ascertain the gain in the knowledge score.

RESULTS

A total of 252 participants were included, of which the majority were from the clinical medicine speciality (85.3%) and had ICU experience of 1-6 months (47.6%). There was a significant improvement in the mean total score of the participants after training from 14/25 to 19/25, with a mean difference (MD) of 5.02 (p < 0.001). Based on ICU experience, in groups I (<1 month), II (1-6 months), and III (>6 months), there was a significant improvement in the total score of the participants after training with MD with 95% confidence interval (CI) limits of 5.27 (4.65-5.90), 4.70 (4.38-5.02), and 5.33 (4.89-5.78), respectively. In the clinical surgery specialty (n = 37), there was a significant improvement in the total score after training from 11/25 to 16.4/25 with an MD (95% CI limits) of 5.38 (4.4-6.3). Similarly, in the clinical medicine group (n = 215), the MD (95% CI limits) score after training was 4.95 (4.71-5.20), from 14.5/25 to 19.5/25. In feedback, more than half of the participants showed interest in joining ICU after training.

CONCLUSIONS

Training nonintensivist doctors for 1 day can be useful in improving their knowledge, regardless of their prior ICU experience and speciality.

Silicone Models for Dermatological Education: Assessment of a New Teaching Tool by Dermatologists

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus pandemic forced universities to transfer academic curricula into the digital realm and calls for the introduction of new teaching methods to adequately compensate for the limited in-patient training. Especially in the field of dermatology, the use of 3D models presents an interesting opportunity to maintain the teaching of diagnostically essential sensory and haptic characteristics of primary lesions.

OBJECTIVES

We developed a prototype silicone model and presented it to the medical service of the Department of Dermatology of the Ludwig-Maximilians University for evaluation.

METHODS

Silicone models demonstrating primary skin lesions were produced by using negative 3D-printed molds and different types of silicone. An online survey obtained evaluations from a group of dermatologists regarding the quality of previously supplied silicone 3D models and their potential use in medical education. Data from 58 dermatologists were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The majority of the participants rated the models overall as positive and innovative, providing constructive feedback for additional modifications, and recommended further implementation into the regular curriculum as an additional tool after the end of the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study underlined the possible advantages of using 3D models as a supplement in educational training even after the end of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Online teaching, learning, and health outcomes: Impact on medical undergraduate students

Background

Online education has become a norm since the pandemic and it was a complete change for the medical curriculum. Many students missed patient interaction, which was a crucial part of their learning.

Aim

This study was designed to know the perceptions of online teaching of both the non-competency-based medical education (non-CBME) and competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, learning outcomes, and health-related problems due to online teaching-learning in medical undergraduates.

Materials and Methods

It was an online survey done after ethics approval. The survey questionnaire was sent to all medical undergraduates via email or WhatsApp and responses were recorded after informed consent. The total number of students who completed the survey was 346.

Results

66% of students found that online classes were not as enjoyable as offline. 66% found them time-saving with learning at their own pace. 85% felt they learned no clinical skills, and 80.6% said there was a lack of practical demonstrations. 71% experienced digital fatigue, 62% missed learning in a group, and 73% felt the poor motivation to study. Only 30% and 18.7% were confident enough to take a history or do an examination of the patient, respectively, after online clinics. 33% were confident to appear for university theory and only 11% for practical exams. The health problems faced due to online teaching included somatic complaints, sleep disturbances anxiety, and depressive symptoms in 40% of students.

Conclusions

The students were dissatisfied with online teaching. Learning outcomes were affected, as they were not confident to appear for university exams. Hence, though teaching happened during the pandemic, the online education imparted revealed lacunae and health effects.

Pandemic Covid 19: The Challenges of Online Learning Among UITMs’ Students

Purpose: In 2020, the emergence of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has led Malaysia to an unprecedented public health crisis.  Due to this, all universities in Malaysia are forced to shut down any physical activities by the Government. Hence, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) had conducted an Online Distance Learning (ODL) starting on 13th April 2020 due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As a result, the government had to implement the Movement Control Order (MCO) to control the spread of the disease among the community. In attending online classes, a lot of challenges are faced by the students. Therefore, this study reveals out a few challenges:  time management, family support and financial crisis during online learning. Methodology: The sample of the study is 100 of UiTM students throughout Malaysia and the researchers set a form of questionnaires, distributed via google form to the respondents using convenience sampling. Findings: SPSS is used in analyzing the data and the result shows that all independent variables (time management, family support, financial crisis) are challenges towards online learning. Implications: Thus, this study will benefit the Ministry of Education, universities and students in managing and controlling their challenges while attending online classes during Pandemic Covid 19.

Technostress of students during COVID-19 - a sign of the time?

University students are considered digital natives but they often have difficulties in the effective integration of information technology (IT) into their study routine. To unravel this puzzle we proposed a model of IT effects on students' well-being, based on the Job Demands-Resources theory, one of the most widely used models of human well-being in organizational contexts. We described three processes affecting students’ well-being. A techno-stress process generates strain via an increase in study demands. A techno-enrichment process sparks motivation through the creation of energizing study techno-resources. A dual-nature techno-challenge process sparks motivation but also creates strain. Our elaboration might help to reconcile conflicting findings on the role of IT in remote learning and contribute to a better understanding of the effect of IT on students. The proposed theoretical model might also spark further empirical research and provide guidelines for research on IT use in university learning.

Topic: Students' perceived effectiveness and preference of online lectures- Kosovo study case

Higher education institutions around the world closed their campuses due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and shifted to online learning platforms. This sudden shift away from the classrooms has posed many questions regarding the effectiveness of online learning. The questions are still being asked today as the adoption of online learning is to continue in the post-pandemic period. While several studies have looked at the students' attitudes towards online learning during the pandemic, less research has been done to understand students' perceptions of post-pandemic online learning. We examined Kosovo university students' expectations, by investigating the perceived effectiveness of online learning in students of two different study fields, Psychology, and the English language, with two groups of students at the UBT College where there is a hybrid studying method. This study revealed that English language students were more willing to continue their higher education through online platforms compared to Psychology students.

Experience of Online Learning from COVID-19: Preparing for the Future of Digital Transformation in Education

COVID-19 has affected traditional instructional activities. Home-based isolation and restrictive movement measures have forced most learning activities to move from an offline to an online environment. Multiple studies have also demonstrated that teaching with virtual tools during the COVID-19 pandemic is always ineffective. This study examines the different characteristics and challenges that virtual tools brought to online education in the pre-pandemic and pandemic era, with the aim of providing experience of how virtual tools supported purely online learning during a health crisis. By searching keywords in public databases and review publications, this study tries to summarize the major topics related to the research theme. These topics are the characteristics of learning supported by technologies in pre-pandemic and pandemic era, the challenges that education systems have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also compares the functions, advantages and limitations of typical virtual tools, which has rarely been done in previous studies. This study tries to present the features of virtual tools that support online learning and the challenges regarding real-life risk scenarios, and tries to provide educational institutions with a distinct perspective for efficient teaching and learning in future potential health crises.

Determining attitudes toward e-learning: what are the attitudes of health professional students?

Aim

The research was carried out to determine the attitudes of nursing undergraduate students toward e-learning implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subject and methods

The study sample consisted of 320 undergraduate students studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department of a state university. Personal Information Form and the Test of e-Learning Related Attitudes were administered to the research participants.

Results

Of the students, 68.8% were female and 51.6% were between the ages of 21-24. The attitude of 55.3% (177) toward e-learning is negative. Attitude scores of students aged 25-29 were significantly higher compared to those aged 17-20 and 21-24 years old (p = 0.002). The attitude scores of the students who have a computer are significantly higher than those who do not (p = 0.001). Most students did not agree with the statement "E-learning will provide me with better learning opportunities than conventional learning methods." (disagree n = 121; 37.8%, strongly disagree n = 110; 34.4%).

Conclusion

It is noticed that e-learning is not sufficient in subjects such as conducting clinical and laboratory practices in health sciences fields with practical training like nursing, and students' attitudes are generally negative. For undergraduate health sciences education, face-to-face and online education for support purposes can be used together in theoretical courses. In addition, it is recommended to use effective online communication techniques in online courses.

From text to e-text: perceptions of medical, dental and allied students about e-learning

Objective

More than a year ago, Pakistan like the rest of the word, was hit by a global pandemic, due to which students of higher education had to accept the new era and adapt to the electronic learning environment for the very first time. This study aims to analyze the perceptions of medical, dental, and allied health students about e-learning in Pakistan.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted throughout the country. A pre-validated, anonymous online questionnaire regarding demographics, past-experience of e-learning, advantages disadvantages of e-learning, and general perception of students towards e-learning was distributed. Descriptive statistics were computed for all demographics. Chi-square test was used to compare the differences of perceptions between pre-clinical year and clinical years students. Chi-square was used to compare overall category-wise positive and negative responses of students. The association between participant demographics and their perception towards e-learning was also calculated using chi square.

Results

A total of 1200 students participated in the study of which 797 (66.4%) were from pre-clinical years and 403 (33.6%) were from clinical years. The major advantage identified by all students was the 'comfortable environment' (70%) and 'technical problems with IT equipment' was listed as the biggest disadvantage (89%) of e-learning. For preclinical year students, 'anxiety due to social isolation' was selected as the biggest issue (p < 0.05) whereas, for clinical year students, it was 'lack of patient interaction' (p < 0.05). Overall, 72% of students had a negative perception of e-learning.

Conclusion

After more than a year of online studying, medical and allied students of Pakistan have expressed dissatisfaction towards e-learning. Student-teacher training, student counselling sessions, and innovative techniques need to be introduced to enhance student engagement and reduce pandemic stress.

A parental guidance patterns in the online learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic: case study in Indonesian school

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacts the educational process in schools in Indonesia. Online learning schemes are applied as an alternative to learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to map effective patterns of parental guidance during the online learning process amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a mixed scheme between case study and literature study methods, this literature study was carried out by analyzing previous studies on the topic "parental guidance pattern" and "online learning during a pandemic". Data were sourced from several relevant articles published from 2020 to 2021. The data were then analyzed using interactively, quantitatively, and biometric methods with the VOSviewer application. The data analysis showed that the pattern of parental guidance must be tailored to the child's needs. In online learning, parents serve as facilitators, motivators, supervisors, and guides. The level of children's education also affects the pattern of parental guidance. In addition, communication between teachers and parents must also be well established so that the learning process can function effectively and efficiently and achieve optimal learning outcomes.

Impact of COVID-19 on medical education in different income countries: a scoping review of the literature

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted medical education worldwide. Universities were forced to rapidly adapt to the evolving situation and develop methods of delivering curricula and assessments online. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical education and investigate how this effect varies in different income countries. The methodology adhered to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension for scoping reviews. Key terms were searched in six electronic databases. Inclusion criteria included studies describing the effect of COVID-19 on undergraduate medical education in university and clinical settings, studies published post 1 December 2019 and studies published in English. A modified Johanna Briggs Institute data charting tool was used to extract data concerning study characteristics and outcomes. The initial search returned 298 articles. Following duplicate removal and article screening, 33 studies were included. The literature indicated that the pandemic had a negative effect on medical student education worldwide, in both high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A range of factors impacted students and educators, including new curriculum and assessment design, reduced patient contact, use of new technology and lack of infrastructure. However, LMICs encountered more arduous barriers such as lack of access to information technology infrastructure and support from national governments. COVID-19 has impeded medical education worldwide. Future research is needed to address barriers to providing medical education during a pandemic. LMICs need particular support as they have fewer resources and face greater challenges regarding this matter.

Factors influencing the E-learning system usage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought forward an unprecedented situation, which has forced the educational institutes worldwide to use a propriety "online only" model for teaching and learning. Teachers have been compelled to deliver lectures online using some form of an online delivery platform. In this dilemma situation with the closure of the educational institutes, one of the very basic necessities is to ensure quality features of e-learning systems that are being used for the purpose of education delivery, particularly from the students' perspective. The objective of this study was to identify factors affecting pharmacy students' satisfaction in Vietnam during the COVID 19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey of a consecutive sample of 1612 valid responses from students who have been in distance learning at Hanoi University of Pharmacy has been conducted. An integrated model with three main dimensions had been developed: learner's characteristics; instructor's characteristics; system, and technology. Data were collected in the field on both online and offline platforms using the questionnaire of 39 items to investigate the critical factors affecting learners' satisfaction in e-learning. The reliability of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha on this data. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis were employed for data analysis. Out of 2491 questionnaires distributed, 1612 questionnaires were completed (respond rate 64.7%). The results revealed that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, system and technical dimension and instructors' characteristics are the critical factors affecting learners' perceived satisfaction. The perceived usefulness of the students was the most important factor affecting overall satisfaction (beta coefficient = 0.610). Multiple regression analysis yielded the four main factors explaining 59.9% of total satisfaction. The findings revealed how to improve learners' satisfaction and further strengthen their e-learning implementation. The interventional solutions on students' characteristics, instructors' characteristics and system & technical dimension should be considered and implemented to improve the quality of e-learning and students' satisfaction at Hanoi University of Pharmacy.

Perception of Online Learning Among Undergraduate Medical Students of Eastern India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background In 2020 WHO declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a global pandemic. To flatten the curve of infection, a nationwide lockdown was declared by the Indian government. All the schools and colleges were shut for an indefinite period. Like all other streams, medical education also got severely hampered. Adapting themselves to the changing environment, teachers started using different teaching-learning methods and media to get across to the students. The objective of the research was to study the perception of medical students towards online teaching during the COVID pandemic. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by the distribution of a pre-validated online questionnaire to medical students of West Bengal. From the collected data, relevant statistical averages and census domains were calculated. The chi-square test was done and assessed with a p≤0.05 significance level. Results A significant increase was noted in the time spent by students on various online teaching activities (p<0.05). Video tutorials, e.g., YouTube, were ranked as the most effective mode (17.2%), followed by live tutorials via Microsoft Teams, etc. (8.9%). A significant number (30.2%) of students strongly favoured online teaching over face-to-face teaching. Major challenges of online learning cited by students were internet connectivity issues (79.8%) followed by family distraction (37.9 %) and inconvenient timing of the classes (20.1%). Conclusion Our study highlighted the benefits, disadvantages and barriers to online learning from the perspective of undergraduate medical education in India. Even though the online mode of teaching was found to be beneficial in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it cannot be used as an absolute substitution for face-to-face teaching in the given context.

Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study among final year medical students at the University of Zambia

Background Since the globe was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019, numerous adjustments have been made in all sectors to curtail the spread of infection. Most elementary and tertiary schools were closed or suspended until the transmission rates dropped. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, medical schools in Zambia have sought ways to replace face-to-face medical learning with virtual clinical teaching. The objectives of this study were to explore the perceptions of online learning among University of Zambia medical students and understand the barriers and facilitators to effective online learning. Methods A qualitative descriptive approach was used, enrolling final year medical students from the University of Zambia; the consenting participants were sampled purposively and interviewed through virtual platforms until data saturation was reached upon interviewing the 11 th participant. A total of 14 participants were interviewed, audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and data was analyzed using six steps of thematic analysis. Results Three broad themes arose from the interviews: online learning perceptions, facilitators and barriers to online learning. Regarding perceptions of online learning, they highlighted that the delivery was simple to understand, with convenient scheduling and the benefit of being able to refer back to the recorded lectures. Some barriers encountered during the online learning were poor network connection, frequent power outages, lack of patient-student interaction and challenges with learning space in their homes. The facilitators were self-paced learning, availability of lecturers and the desire to complete their training despite the lockdown being in effect. Conclusions Most medical students had positive perceptions of online learning despite its challenges. With the improvement in technology, online education should be incorporated into the traditional training of medical students to get the best outcomes.

Khadilkar N, B.V. M, P. K, Shreya Crasta P, D’Souza V. Online learning during COVID-19 pandemic –Medical students’ perception

Introduction and Aim: A sudden shift of medical education from physical class teaching to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic created concern in both the students and teachers. The aim of the study is to evaluate the perception of medical students towards online learning during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.   Materials and Methods: This observational study included all the MBBS students of our institution. The study was conducted after obtaining ethical clearance from the Institutional Ethics Committee. A validated questionnaire was used to collect the information. The data was analysed using the statistical software SPSS-28. Demographic variables were expressed in terms of frequencies and percentages. Data was analysed using Chi square test and Mann Whitney U test. P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.   Results: Five hundred sixty-five students of both genders out of total 600 (94%) participated. 54.3% experienced online classes for the first time and 48.1% studied online for 3-6 hrs. They liked recorded MP4 videos of their own teachers. Majority felt that online classes should be more interactive. They did not want the online classes to continue after the pandemic and opined that online classes cannot replace classroom teaching. Majority agreed that online learning saved time of travel, saves cost, was flexible but practical knowledge and interaction with teachers and patients was lacking. They experienced additional stress and their examination results are affected.   Conclusion: Online learning is a less effective mode for learning practical skills and may be used as a supplementary mode to teach a few elective topics.

Relationship between nursing students' attitudes toward nursing profession and online learning satisfaction during COVID-19 lockdown

Formal education is crucial for the development of nurses’ professional identity and can play a decisive role in attracting students to the nursing profession. This is even more important during a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate nursing students’ attitudes and feelings toward their future profession and academic studies during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on 361 nursing students. The data were collected through the Students’ attitudes toward the nursing profession during the COVID-19 outbreak scale, and the Satisfaction with online learning scale. Nursing students expressed higher levels of commitment and dedication to their profession compared to perceived job security. They were generally satisfied with their distance learning experience in terms of accessibility of study materials, adaptation of lectures and quality of communication with academic staff. However, students perceived the ICT-supported distance learning as moderately effective. Students’ satisfaction with online learning was positively related to their perceived professional commitment. In times of health crisis, faculties should consider students’ perceived quality of nursing education and attitudes toward future profession to promote appropriate professional identity.

A Weekly Diary Study on Playful Study Design, Study Engagement, and Goal Attainment: The Role of Proactive Personality

Students' learning processes are heavily impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are experiencing more online learning environment and less face-to-face idea exchange, which may make them feel exhausted and demotivated. Using self-determination and proactivity theories, we propose and examine whether playful study design (PSD)-a proactive study strategy including designing fun and designing competition in learning tasks-is effective in fostering study engagement, which, in turn, improves study goal attainment during the COVID-19 period. Moreover, we examine whether students who are high in proactive personality will benefit more (e.g., reach a higher level of study engagement) when using the PSD strategy. We collected data using a weekly diary approach during four consecutive weeks, including 97 people and 308 within-person observations. Results of multilevel analyses showed that weekly PSD was positively related to weekly study engagement, and in turn, facilitated weekly goal attainment. Moreover, we found that proactive personality moderated and strengthened the positive associations between PSD and goal attainment, study engagement and goal attainment, but not for the relationship between PSD and study engagement. Overall, we provide one of the first attempts to demonstrate how PSD strategy can be used in student study life to improve study engagement and reach their goals. We shed light on how proactive personality can safeguard the success of PSD strategy. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.

A comparative analysis of the impact of online, blended, and face-to-face learning on medical students' clinical competency in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains

BACKGROUND

The Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Africa compelled medical schools to switch to a purely online curriculum. The innovative changes transformed the standard clinical skills curriculum to increase learning transfer to bridge the theory-practice gap. The efficacy of this intervention remains unknown. This study aims to measure medical students' clinical competency in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains by assessing clinical skills knowledge retention and transfer from the online platform compared to face-to-face and blended learning.

METHODS

A non-random cross-sectional quasi-experimental study assessed third-year medical students' knowledge retention and learning transfer in three domains of clinical skills competence. Data were obtained using a score sheet during a directly observed formative and a trial online summative assessment. One hundred and one third-year medical students volunteered for the formative onsite assessment that tested the psychomotor domain. Two hundred and thirty-nine students were evaluated on the affective and cognitive domains in the summative online trial mini-objective structured clinical examination (tm-OSCE). The OSCE scores were analysed using descriptive statistics. The significance of the findings was evaluated by comparing OSCE scores with the pre-pandemic 2019 third-year medical students.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences were found between the two cohorts of medical students from both years (p < 0.05). The 2021 blended group's (n = 101) medians were 90%, 95%CI [86, 92], 82%, 95%CI [80, 85], and 87%, 95% CI [84, 90] for the psychomotor, affective, and cognitive skills, respectively. The e-learning group's affective and cognitive skills medians were 78%, 95%CI [73, 79] and 76%, 95%CI [71, 78], respectively. The 2019 face-to-face cohort (n = 249) achieved medians of 70%, 95% CI [69, 72] and 84%, 95%CI [82, 86] for the affective and psychomotor skills, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Medical students demonstrated near and far transfer bridging the theory-practice gap in three clinical skills domains. The blended group performed significantly better than the e-learning and face-to-face groups. Medical schools and educators play a vital role in overcoming learning challenges and achieving higher transfer levels by adopting multiple student-centered teaching delivery approaches and arranging immediate application opportunities. This study offers medical educators suggestions that encourage the transfer of online learning to face-to-face practice, decentralising medical education with a revised blended learning strategy.

Part-time adult students’ satisfaction with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction : The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many tertiary institutions switching overnight from taught to online lectures without much preparation. Studies suggest that the sudden change has impacted on students’ satisfaction with online learning in differing ways. Yet, little is known about how this change impacted specifically on adult part-time students, which is the focus of this study. Methods : Part-time adult undergraduate students responded to a mixed methods online questionnaire. Close-ended questions were analysed quantitatively in order to determine levels of satisfaction with online learning during COVID-19 as well as its correlates. Open-ended questions were analysed qualitatively in order to explore the perceived benefits and challenges associated with online learning during this period. Results : Levels of satisfaction with online learning were found to be high, especially among students who were female, those who did not have young children, had partners who worked in excess of 40 hours, were able to follow lectures from locations other than the home, and those following non-technical courses. Several benefits of online learning were identified, including time saved on commuting, the ability to study from the comfort of home and the fact that lectures could now be recorded. Challenges included those related to technology, a lack of interaction amongst students and part-time lecturers who struggled with the sudden switch to online learning. Despite this, most students indicated they would like online lectures to continue to various degrees even after it was safe to return to class. Conclusion and implications : Online lectures were generally rated positively by adult part-time students. In view of the benefits and some of the challenges associated with online learning, it is recommended that future academic programmes adopt a blended approach whilst more support is provided to those who find it challenging to follow lectures from home.

One year of digital teaching in psychiatry as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Knowledge gain and content evaluation of medical students for two summer semesters in 2020 and 2021

After the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, digital teaching had to be implemented by most universities at short notice and widely replaced classroom teaching. As a consequence, digital teaching further reduced direct social interaction for students. One year after the introduction of digital teaching formats at our university medical center (department of psychiatry and psychotherapy), teaching evaluation of students from summer semesters 2020 and 2021 (SS20, SS21) were compared. The main objective of this study was to objectify whether students evaluate digital teaching less favorably after one year of its implementation. Ratings of 311 medical students on (1) knowledge gain, (2) teaching contents and (3) subjective advantages of digital teaching were analyzed for the two separate cohorts SS20 (n = 175) and SS21 (n = 136). Students also rated their pandemic-related stress level, and if learning progress had been reduced by the pandemic in general. Significant knowledge gain was achieved for all included domains in psychiatry (all p < .001), and did not differ between SS20/SS21. Teaching contents in SS21 were rated worse in six out of eight domains compared to SS20 (p < .001 to .05). Also, subjective advantages of digital teaching vanished in most domains comparing the cohorts of SS21 and SS20 (p < .001 to .05). No differences were found for pandemic-related stress level and subjective learning progress. Limitations include the post-hoc design, possible bias from individual exam grades, and sampling bias. The present study showed that knowledge gain can be considered to be stable one year after the pandemic-related implementation of digital teaching. However, sustainability of this teaching format should be monitored critically: The subject of psychiatry and psychotherapy thrives on direct communication, which can be compromised when using digital formats only. In this light, implementation of more interactive formats in digital teaching is discussed.

COMPARISON OF INFECTION RATES, QUARANTINE PERIODS, AND FEAR IN UNDERGRADUATE PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS WHO HAD FACE-TO-FACE AND ONLINE EDUCATION DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A SINGLE-CENTER, CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to compare the rates of COVID-19 infection and quarantine periods, and fear in undergraduate physiotherapy students who continued their educations as online or face-to-face. Methods: Three hundred and one students who continued their education as online (n= 144, for 1st and 4th degrees), or face-to-face under strict special precautions (n= 157, for 2nd and 3rd grades) during the 2020-2021 fall term were included. Demographic characteristics, COVID-19 infection diagnosis and quarantine due to contact were questioned via a structured online form. COVID-19 related fear was assessed by using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Results: No statistical differences were detected regarding demographical characteristics and COVID-19 infection rates between the groups (p> 0.05). The online education group had higher quarantine rates due to contact with an infected person (p= 0.040), while the face-to-face group reported higher COVID-19 related fear (p= 0.001). Conclusion: The physiotherapy students who had a face-to-face education under special precautions had more COVID-19 related fear, however less quarantine rate, and similar infection rates in comparison to online educated counterparts.

Perception of pediatric residents from a tertiary hospital in the city of México regarding their training during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUNDS

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic, which changed the residents' teaching and learning process. The purpose of this study was to determine residents' satisfaction and impressions on their training during the pandemic in a tertiary pediatric hospital.

METHODS

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. An online survey was designed to determine residents' demographic and personal characteristics, as well as their perception about the theoretical and practical training, as well as about their emotional situation. The analysis separated medical students from surgical students in order to identify any differences existing between these groups, for which χ2 was calculated.

RESULTS

Overall, 148 of 171 residents (86.5%) responded to the questionnaire; 75% belonged to the medical specialty and 25% to the surgical specialty. Statistically significant differences were found in terms of those training aspects they were concerned about during the pandemic (p < 0.001) and about the difficulties associated with online learning (p = 0.001). Differences were also found regarding their satisfaction toward the time needed to complete their thesis (p = 0.059) and activities outside the hospital (p = 0.029). Regarding their degree of satisfaction in general, most medical specialty students felt slightly satisfied (43.2%) and surgical specialty students felt mostly neutral (37.8%). Regarding their feelings about their mental health, statistically significant differences were found between both groups (p = 0.038) although both groups reported the same percentage of overall dissatisfaction (2.7%) in this area.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to medical education systems. Lack of practice in decision-making and maneuver execution are concerns for residents and may affect their future professional performance.

Digital adaptation of teaching disaster and deployment medicine under COVID-19 conditions: a comparative evaluation over 5 years

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought many aspects of disaster medicine into everyday awareness but also led to a massive change in medical teaching due to the necessity of contact restrictions. This study aimed to evaluate student acceptance of a curricular elective module on disaster and deployment medicine over a 5-year period and to present content adjustments due to COVID-19 restrictions.

METHODS

Since 2016, 8 semesters of the curricular elective module took place in face-to-face teaching (pre-COVID-19 group). From the summer semester of 2020 to the summer semester of 2021, 3 semesters took place as online and hybrid courses (mid-COVID-19 group). Student attitudes and knowledge gains were measured using pretests, posttests, and final evaluations. These data were statistically compared across years, and new forms of teaching under COVID-19 conditions were examined in more detail.

RESULTS

A total of 189 students participated in the module from the summer semester of 2016 through the summer semester of 2021 (pre-COVID-19: n = 138; mid-COVID-19: n = 51). There was a high level of satisfaction with the module across all semesters, with no significant differences between the groups. There was also no significant difference between the two cohorts in terms of knowledge gain, which was always significant (p < 0.05). COVID-19 adaptations included online seminars using Microsoft Teams or Zoom, the interactive live-streaming of practical training components, and digital simulation games.

CONCLUSION

The high level of satisfaction and knowledge gained during the module did not change even under a digital redesign of the content offered. The curricular elective module was consistently evaluated positively by the students, and the adaptation to online teaching was well accepted. Experiences with digital forms of teaching should also be used after the COVID-19 pandemic to create digitally supported blended learning concepts in the field of deployment and disaster medicine and thus further promote the expansion of teaching in this important medical field.

Attitude and Performance for Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Meta-Analytic Evidence

The COVID-19 pandemic prominently hit almost all the aspects of our life, especially in routine education. For public health security, online learning has to be enforced to replace classroom learning. Thus, it is a priority to clarify how these changes impacted students. We built a random-effect model of a meta-analysis to pool individual effect sizes for published articles concerning the attitudes and performance towards online learning. Databases included Google Scholar, PubMed and (Chinese) CNKI repository. Further, a moderated analysis and meta-regression were further used to clarify potential heterogenous factors impacting this pooled effect. Forty published papers (n = 98,558) were screened that were eligible for formal analysis. Meta-analytic results demonstrated that 13.3% (95% CI: 10.0-17.5) of students possessed negative attitudes towards online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 12.7% (95% CI: 9.6-16.8) students were found to report poor performance in online learning. Moderated analysis revealed poor performance in online learning in the early pandemic (p = 0.006). Results for the meta-regression analysis showed that negative attitudes could predict poor learning performance significantly (p = 0.026). In conclusion, online learning that is caused by COVID-19 pandemic may have brought about negative learning attitudes and poorer learning performance compared to classroom learning, especially in the early pandemic.

Implementation of a skills-based virtual communication curriculum for medical students interested in surgery

Background

Communication skills are essential to providing patient-centered care. The need for standardized communication skills training is at the forefront of medical school and residency education. We aimed to design and implement a curriculum teaching virtual communications skills to medical students. The purpose of this report is to describe our experience and to offer guidance for training programs developing similar curricula in the future.

Methods

The curriculum was presented in weekly modules over 5 weeks using Zoom technology. We focused on proven strategies for interacting with patients and other providers, adapted to a virtual platform. Skill levels during role-play were assessed by the Simulated Participants and students observing the simulation using the 14-item, physician specific Communication Assessment Tool (CAT). The primary outcome of the CAT is the percentage of "excellent" for each item ranked both years. Participants provided feedback on what worked well or how the module could be improved in open-ended responses.

Results

Twenty-eight and 25 students registered for the course in Year 1 and Year 2, respectively. Students' post-session confidence in their ability to perform target skills was statistically higher than their pre-session scores in most sessions. Modules with the lowest pre-session confidence for both years were "Disclosing a Medical Error" and "Responding to Patient Bias." The mean percentage of students receiving "excellent" scores on individual CAT items ranged from 5 to 73% over the course of both years. Verbal and written feedback in Year 1 provided direction for the curriculum developers to improve the course in Year 2.

Conclusions

Developing and implementing a new education curriculum is a complex process. We describe an intensive curriculum for medical students as we strive to allow students extra "clinical" time during COVID-related restriction. We believe continued focus on patient and family communication skills will enhance patient care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44186-022-00054-9.

Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide on In Vitro Cultures of Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Grown in the Dark and in the Light: Morphology, Content of Malondialdehyde, and Accumulation of Various Polyphenols

Tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) are phenol-accumulating crops that are widely used for public health. The healing effect of tea leaf products is due to the biosynthesis of such phenolic compounds (PCs) as flavans, which have P-vitamin capillary-strengthening activity. Due to their limited habitat and the value of their specialized metabolites of a phenolic nature, a promising approach is to establish in vitro cultures from them that retain the ability to form PCs, which is characteristic of ex vivo tea plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exogenic H₂O₂ (0.01 mM; 0.1 mM; 1 mM) on the growth, morphology, degree of stress response, and accumulation of various phenolic compounds in tea plant callus cultures of different ages (24 or 36 days) grown under different cultivation conditions (darkness or light). According to the results obtained, the H₂O₂ effect on tea callus cultures of different ages did not cause changes in their morphophysiological characteristics, both after 2 h of exposure (rapid response of callus culture, RRCC) and after 48 h (delayed response of callus culture, DRCC). The determination of the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, which serves as an indicator of changes in the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the presence of stress responses in plant cells, indicated either its maintenance at the control level, a decrease, or an increase. All these effects depended on the growth conditions of the tea callus cultures (darkness or light), their age, the duration of exposure (rapid or delayed response), and the H₂O₂ concentration. Similar trends were noted for the total content of PCs as well as the amount of flavans, proanthocyanidins (soluble and insoluble forms), and lignin. The plant cell responses reflected changes in its adaptation programs, when specialized metabolites act as a target for the action of H₂O₂, thereby contributing to an increase in their resistance.

Perception of Synchronized Online Teaching Using Blackboard Collaborate among Undergraduate Dental Students in Saudi Arabia

Blackboard is a collaborative virtual learning tool used for higher learning that has been found to be an effective and efficient means of interactions between teachers and students and offers effective educational information management. The aim of this research work is to assess the preclinical and clinical dental students' perception of Blackboard Collaborate as a quality teaching and learning tool as well as to find out areas that might appear as barriers to quality teaching and learning. This cross-sectional study was conducted online using survey monkey involving 245 dental students who had participated in the virtual classroom lectures during the pandemic with 18 students not completing the survey. The survey instrument was a nine-item questionnaire that included the age, sex, and year of study of the students as well as previous exposure to online lectures. The data collated was analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for windows version 22. Among 245 respondents that were enrolled in the study, 227 respondents completed the survey, of which 58.1% (n = 132) were male while 41.9% (n = 95) were females. Of the 227 respondents that completed this study, 74.8% (n = 170) of them experienced minimum to moderate technical problems regarding connectivity during the online sessions while 1.8% (n = 4) of the respondents experienced very severe technical problems. The majority of the respondents 54.2% (n = 123) support the continuation of online lectures even after the pandemic. In conclusion, we found a positive perception of our respondents to online lectures using Blackboard Collaborate. Internet connectivity as well as a decline in the comprehension of the lectures as compared to face-to-face learning were found as barriers to online learning.

The Association between COVID-19 Pandemic and the Quality of Life of Medical Students in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland

(1) Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly in 2020, medical universities have been affected by a particular crisis. Due to the increased risk of SARS CoV-2 transmission, the authorities of medical faculties all over the world, including Poland, started to minimize direct contact between students. The objective of the paper is to identify and assess determinants of the quality of life among medical students in Poland before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: We analyzed data obtained in a cross-sectional study performed among three groups of students tested in three consecutive research periods: period before the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period and the COVID-19 pandemic period following lockdown. (3) Results: The total number of participants was 1098. We identified that the research period before the COVID-19 pandemic was the risk factor for lower quality of life in terms of the somatic and environmental domains. It was also confirmed that determinants such as poor financial situation, low frequency of physical activity and bad self-declared health status harmed the QoL scores in all domains. (4) Conclusions: The obtained results confirmed that better financial situation, higher physical activity and better self-declared health status were statistically significant factors improving the quality of life of first-year medical students in Poland. The findings of our study also showed that the declared somatic and environmental domains of QoL among medical students were better during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Our observations confirmed that the immediate implementation of e-learning could protect against the deterioration of mental health and quality of life in first-year medical students during possible future epidemic crises.

Student Satisfaction and Self-Efficacy in a Novel Online Clinical Clerkship Curriculum Delivered During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to medical education and clinical training and resulted in stressors that impede student learning. This study aimed to assess student satisfaction and self-efficacy in a novel online clinical clerkship curriculum delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Fourth- and fifth-year medical students completed an online survey in January 2021 covering the following areas: student satisfaction, self-efficacy, and perceived effectiveness of online versus face-to-face learning.

RESULTS

Just over half of students (51%) were satisfied with online clerkship delivery. However, fewer than half of students (46%) believed online learning effectively increased their knowledge, compared to 56% of students who believed face-to-face learning was effective. The perception of the effectiveness of online learning and face-to-face teaching for clinical skills was 18% and 89%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Few students perceived online teaching to be effective for developing social competencies (27%) compared to face-to-face instruction (67%) (p < 0.001). In addition, mean self-efficacy scores were higher for persons who perceived online teaching to be effective for increasing knowledge, improving clinical skills, and developing social competencies. Overall, students' perception of online learning was strongly associated with online self-efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Student satisfaction and perceived self-efficacy in online learning were higher than reported acceptance of online clerkship curriculum.

Using chatbots to support student goal setting and social presence in fully online activities: learner engagement and perceptions

Although fully online learning is now the 'new normal' in many parts of the world, its implementation is often beset by challenges such as the lack of student self-regulation, and the sense of isolation. In this paper, we explored the use of chatbots to support student goal setting (Study 1) and social presence (Study 2) in online activities. In Study 1, participants in a fully online course were invited to complete a goal setting activity prior to attending class via a goal-setting chatbot. The chatbot engaged participants with five questions developed based on the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goal setting framework. In Study 2, English-as-Foreign-Language participants in a fully online course were tasked to complete listening practices. The learning buddy chatbot was designed based on the social presence framework (interpersonal communication, open communication, cohesive communication) to guide students through listening exercises. In both Study 1 and 2, we evaluated participants' behavioral engagement by measuring their conversation records with the chatbots, as well as participants' perceived usefulness and ease of use of the chatbots. We also gathered in-depth interview data concerning the participants' perceptions of interacting with the chatbots. Overall, our findings found positive learner experiences with both chatbots with regard to the chatbots' perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. We also provided suggestions for instructors to apply chatbots in teaching and learning.

Medical students’ views on the distance education practices of the neuroanatomy course during the pandemic

Background/Aim: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in late 2019. This highly contagious and pathogenic coronavirus causes acute respiratory disease pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). More than 1.2 billion students in 186 countries are currently affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational activities, including clinical medical education, were also stopped during the pandemic. To maintain the continuity of medical education, distance learning approaches were developed, including online/offline teaching methods. Within the scope of this training, the effect of distance learning on students’ experience of neuroanatomy teaching was investigated. Methods: The study sample included 61 students who agreed to participate. The data of the students who accepted to participate in the study were obtained via a questionnaire form created using the “Attitude Scale towards Distance Education”. The questionnaire was uploaded to the forms section of the Microsoft Teams program, and the link address was sent to all students who took the Neuroanatomy course from the International Faculty of Medicine 2nd year students via e-mail. Results: Most students (n = 44, [72.1%]) stated that they could access the internet without any problems, while others had problems. Some students (n = 10; 83.6%) had to share their remote connection devices with their family members during distance education. Some students (n = 9, [14.8%]) had to use mobile phones for homework and exams. Less than half of the students (n = 27, [44.3%]) responded that 3 h per week neuroanatomy teaching was sufficient; most (n = 34, [55.7%]) responded that this was insufficient (P < 0.01). Many of the students who took the distance learning neuroanatomy course (n = 27, [44.3%]) believe that the course has contributed to their professional development (P < 0.01). During distance education, active participation of the classmates – by turning on their microphones – increased the students’ motivation (n = 53, [88.3%]). Conclusion There were difficulties in understanding the neuroanatomy lectures delivered by distance education. The Turkish students had greater problems in understanding relative to the international students, who were much more focused. Students will likely derive greater benefit from doing the neuroanatomy course face to face.

The development of positive education combined with online learning: Based on theories and practices

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the all-around development and mental health of students in education. Positive education, a rapidly developing ramification of positive psychology, has proved beneficial to students’ learning and wellbeing. Meanwhile, online learning has quickly gained popularity due to the impact of COVID-19. However, there have been few reports discussing the relationship between positive education and online learning by combining theories and practices. To explore the connection between positive education and online learning, we provide a literature review for studies, mostly between 2010 and 2022, of theories and practices for both positive education and online learning. Next, we establish one-to-one links between the relevant theories and practices of online learning to each domain in the PERMA model of positive education, a theoretical framework including Positive emotion(P), Engagement(E), Relationship(R), Meaning(M), and Accomplishment(A). We aim to explore how to promote the development of positive education by applying the theoretical and practical advantages of online learning to the PERMA framework of positive education. This study aims to enrich the research perspectives of positive education and provide a reference for future research.

Analyzing an Appropriate Blend of Face-to-Face, Offline and Online Learning Approaches for the In-Service Vocational Teacher's Training Program

Blended learning approaches are considered as the most viable for the delivery of training to remote areas and accessing learners at a mass level. Blended learning is a combination of different learning approaches to facilitate the learners' needs. The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) conducted an in-service vocational teachers' training program through blended learning approaches in Pakistan. This study aimed to find the appropriate blend of face-to-face, online, and offline learning approaches for the training of in-service teachers in Pakistan. A mixed methods research approach was adopted. A survey collected data from 781 in-service vocational teachers who participated in training programs through blended learning approaches. The ANOVA test was applied to find the difference of the training participants' attitude toward different modes of learning. It was found that trainees had more positive attitude toward a face-to-face learning approach than online and the online learning approach than offline learning. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with training participants, admission and placement officers, and principals. They also endorsed that face-to-face learning approaches must be given more weight than online, and the online approach should have more weight than the offline approach. This study has practical implications for technical education and vocational training (TVET) institutes in developing countries such as Pakistan to design blended learning approaches for the training of in-service vocational teachers. Future research may be conducted on the effectiveness of in-service vocational education teachers through blended learning.

Effects of Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nursing Students’ Intention to Join the Nursing Workforce: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nursing education programs were interrupted and largely moved online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwanese nursing students’ perspectives on online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether changes in teaching models have affected their intention to join the nursing workforce. A multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted. Nursing students at universities and those at 5-year junior colleges were recruited to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey. A total of 687 students responded to the questionnaire. The results were analyzed using percentages, mean ranks, and nonparametric methods. The results showed that 78.6% of the students agreed that online teaching was more flexible; most students stated that technical problems with computer equipment and stability of the network were large challenges that impeded online teaching. Furthermore, up to 64.8% of the students considered that online courses had affected their preparations for future nursing jobs, especially in terms of a lack of proficiency in nursing skills and inadequacy in actual interactions with patients. Online teaching is a powerful tool for nursing education, but a thoughtful strategy and more proactive approach are necessary to overcome the existing challenges for online teaching.

Assessing the students' readiness for E-Learning during the Covid-19 pandemic: A case study

The aim of this study was to scrutinize the E-learning readiness among the students of the Faculty of Health at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study was conducted as a descriptive-analytic study on 165 the students of the Faculty of Health in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2021. To examine the level of the participants' readiness for E-learning during the Covid-19 pandemic period, the questionnaire developed by Watkins et al, was administered. Finally, the data analysis was performed with SPSS₂₄ software. The results showed that the mean and standard deviation were 97.44 and 17.67, respectively. Only 1.2% of the participants had a low level of E-learning readiness. 27.9% were at the intermediate level and 70.9% were at the high level. Moreover, the results revealed that the participants had the highest degree of readiness in "Technology Access" and "Internet discussions" dimensions (0.79) and the lowest degree of readiness in "motivation" dimension (0.67). The results of this study indicated that the majority of the participants in this study had a high E-learning readiness, so the university can implement the virtual education. However, the students' learning motivation should be enhanced through providing the required infrastructure and holding training courses for the students specially the BA ones.

Medical students' perceptions and performance in an online regional anatomy course during the Covid-19 pandemic

The present study evaluated the students' psychological well-being, experiences, performance, and perception of learning regional anatomy remotely. A regional anatomy remote learning curriculum was designed and learning materials were delivered virtually to 120 undergraduate medical students at Jinan University, China. All the students consented and voluntarily participated in this study by completing self-administered online questionnaires including the Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales at the beginning and end of the learning session. A subset participated in focus group discussions. Most of the students (90.0%) positively evaluated the current distance learning model. More than 80% were satisfied with the content arrangement and coverage. Many students preferred virtual lectures (68.2%) and videos showing dissections (70.6%) during the distance learning sessions. However, writing laboratory reports and case-based learning were the least preferred modes of learning as they were only preferred by 23.2% and 14.1% of the students, respectively. There was no significant lockdown-related anxiety or depression reported by students using depression and anxiety scales as well as feedback from focus group discussions. The surveyed students' confidence scores in distance learning were significantly higher after 5 weeks than at the beginning of the session (3.05 ± 0.83 vs. 3.70 ± 0.71, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the present results showed no significant differences between the current group's academic performance in the unit tests as well as the final overall evaluation for different parts of the course compared to that of the previous year's cohort. The findings above were congruent with focus group discussion data that the use of the online teaching platform for regional anatomy significantly improved the students' confidence in virtual and self-directed learning and did not negatively affect their academic performance.

Learning and quality of life in undergraduate nursing students: An exploratory study in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has modified all social and, especially, learning instances. The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of final-year nursing students at a university in southern Chile regarding the impact of the pandemic on their learning, and consequently on their quality of life, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a qualitative study. The research was conducted on 14 nursing students who were selected from a university located in the province of Talca, Maule Region, Chile. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews conducted during July and September 2021. The data were analyzed using the inductive logic of theoretical categorization; this process was assisted by the Nvivo 10 program.

RESULTS

Two mega categories were generated that accounted for the nursing students' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: objective factors category and subjective factors category. Six subcategories were derived from these two categories: free time, social relationships, learning from practice, physical exercise, eating habits, and emotional state.

CONCLUSION

The research findings indicate that the students, in addition to feeling upset about not being able to do the internship, also feel that they have not been able to acquire all the knowledge necessary for their training and professional development, since the virtual classes fail to deliver adequate learning as they lack the practical component that is so important in their careers. This has repercussions in the physical, social, and psychological areas, affecting their quality of life.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Adolescents’ Use of Technologies, Sense of Community, and Loneliness: A Retrospective Perception Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought important changes to how we engage in relationships of any kind. To combat the spread of the virus, schools resorted to remote-learning, and teenagers had to rely on various technologies to meet many of the needs that they used to satisfy offline (e.g., social, informational, and recreational/leisure purposes). This article was written to investigate the changes that the students at an Italian high school went through in terms of use of technologies, loneliness, and sense of community, through a survey focusing on their retrospective perceptions. The study was carried out on 917 students. In general, we have found that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased the perception of loneliness in teenagers (especially in female respondents), as well as their use of technologies for social, informational, and leisure purposes. However, maybe thanks to the opportunities provided by ICTs and remote learning, the sense of community in Italian teenagers was only marginally impacted.

The perception of e-learning during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic by students of medical universities in Poland - a survey-based study

BACKGROUND

In March 2020 lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced Polish Medical Universities to implement e-learning. The aim of the study was to evaluate the perception of e-learning by students of Medical Universities in Poland.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Survey was performed nationwide via the Internet from 30th November 2020 to 10th February 2021. Six hundred fifteen (615) medical students completed the survey. The study questionnaire included questions concerning sociodemographic data, perception of lecturers' effectiveness, assessment of stationary and online classes, changes in learning habits and restrictions on education, and advantages and disadvantages of e-learning.

RESULTS

The respondents reported that 96.1% of lectures, 85.5% of seminars, and 40.0% of clinical classes were implemented by e-learning. The lectures conducted by e-learning were assessed as good and very good by 78.4% and seminars by 51.2% of respondents. While the clinical classes conducted by e-learning were assessed as bad and very bad by 62.9% of respondents. The most frequently indicated limitations of e-learning were the quality of the content and available materials (26.9%), restrictions in direct contact with the lecturer (19.6%), Internet connection (16.8%), and home conditions (13.8%). Only 4% of the students had to buy or retrofit computer equipment. Any other limitations were indicated by 9.7% of the respondents.

CONCLUSIONS

Students were highly accepting of lectures and seminars conducted in the form of e-learning, but not laboratory and clinical classes. The main problems in e-learning are the quality of the classes conducted and the Internet connection. The students expect e-learning classes to be conducted in real-time, with direct, face-to-face contact with the lecturer.

Students' perspective on online learning during pandemic in higher education

This research provides an insight into the students' perspective on online learning during the pandemic. We conducted this research in one of the universities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). A quantitative research design was employed, and cross-sectional research method was used. An online survey form was administered by using Google survey forms on Likert scale (N = 405). The online survey and use of social media tools were adopted owing to the pandemic. The Google survey form was disseminated among the students by means of teachers through social media tools using convenient sampling technique. Chi-square results showed highly significant association among the variables. Regression analysis found that lack of technology, learning skills, and disconnectedness of internet, marking and grading issues, and mental growth are the predictors of the bad educational performance of the students. It is, thus, concluded that the students' educational performance is badly affected due to the online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in AJK. It is suggested to the higher educational institutions to take the radical measures of preparedness during any such crisis to ensure the smooth online educational and learning environment to the students.

Students’ Perceptions of Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Approach

In this study, we conducted a thematic analysis of the views and perspectives of university students about online learning, specifically regarding their interpretations and experiences of the transition from traditional face-to-face courses to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included 209 undergraduate and postgraduate students who were invited to complete five tasks, i.e., a free association task, answering open questions about the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, providing suggestions for improving online learning, and sharing a personal experience lived during this period. Some of the main themes extracted from the data refer to the negative aspects of online learning mentioned by participants in relation to its disadvantages, such as health and psychosocial problems (e.g., stress, anxiety, decreased motivation, isolation/loneliness, and apathy) and learning process problems (e.g., misunderstandings, a lack of feedback, additional academical requirements, a lack of challenge, and disengagement). Other recurrent themes refer to the positive aspects of online learning associated with its benefits: comfort and accessibility, economy (saving time and money), and psychological and medical safety. The personal experiences during COVID-19 shared by our respondents were organised around four main themes (positive, negative, ambivalent, and transformative experiences) related to students’ adaptation to the educational context generated by the pandemic. Based on these findings, practical recommendations for universities and researchers are discussed.

A systematic review of health sciences students' online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

This study aims to analyse the effectiveness of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduate health sciences students using systematic review. Online learning has been chosen as the best approach to continue offering education in this pandemic era.

METHOD

The screening process was done using Scopus, ScienceDirect and PubMed based on the eligibility criteria. Out of 1486 studies, 1269 were screened. A total of 64 eligible studies obtained were included in the quantitative analysis. Results were categorized into i) student attitudes (perceptions/satisfactions/engagements), and ii) student learning outcomes, and compared to the Kirkpatrick model.

RESULTS

Although facing difficulties, 50% of the studies was moderately satisfied with distance learning, while 36% was highly satisfied and 17% dissatisfied. Most studies (26%) reported flexibility in online learning. Internet issues (19%) and low interaction between learners and instructors (19%) were the most prevalent problems mentioned. Online education engages students better than traditional learning. The learning outcome was assessed using two categories: i) academic performance and ii) skill development. Most studies (72%) stated that online learning improves academic performance, 14% reported a drop, and 14% stated no effect, while an increase in clinical skills and communication skills were reported. Kirkpatrick evaluation revealed 80% of the studies obtained was evaluated at level 1 (reaction), 8% at level 2 (learning), 12% at level 3 (behaviour) and none at level 4 (results).

CONCLUSION

Overall, this systematic review found that the online learning performed better than expected during COVID-19, but the data gained is insufficient to say it is beneficial when compared to other types of teaching approaches.

Effects of different delivery modes on teaching biomedical science practical skills in higher education during the 2021 pandemic measures

The COVID-19 pandemic related measures had augmented the rise of online education. While online teaching had mitigated the negative impacts from educational institutional closures, it was unable to displace hands-on biomedical laboratory practical lessons effectively. Without practical sessions, there was concern over the imparting of laboratory skills even with video demonstrations. To investigate the effectiveness of different delivery modes in imparting laboratory skills, theoretical and practical student assessments were analyzed alongside an anonymous survey on their motivation and prior experience. The undergraduate students were exposed to (1) instructor-live demonstration; (2) video demonstration or (3) no demonstration prior to the practical test which was a plasmid extraction. Significantly higher mini-prep yields and purity were found for both instructor-live and video demonstrations compared to no demonstration. Comparison with pre-pandemic theoretical assessment performance showed no significant differences despite longer contact hours during pre-pandemic times. Prior lab experience and motivation for selecting the course did not significantly affect student mini-prep yields. In conclusion, our findings suggest that video demonstrations were as effective as instructor-live demonstrations during the pandemic without noticeably compromising the teaching and learning of biomedical laboratory skills.

Perception of medical students regarding E-learning during lockdown in COVID–19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in a medical college, North Kerala

Background: The digital learning in this pandemic era of COVID-19 evolved out in a perplexed environment as a viable alternative to offline or traditional classes. The e-learning carries its own merits as well as demerits, but however, this happened to be the only possible solution in this dreaded situation. With respect to medicos, as they are prone to be exposed to environments connected with Covid infected patients, additional care including online classes turned to be the better option. Aim and Objective: To determine the perception of medical students regarding e-learning during lockdown in COVID-19 pandemic. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of all the batches in a private medical College, Kozhikode. Methods and Material: Primary data were collected using structured Google questionnaire. Stratified sampling method has been adopted and the sample size was 400. Statistical analysis used: Data analysed using SPSS 18 software. Results: Majority of the participants used Zoom as modality of learning and half of the total participants got adapted to the system over time. During e-learning sessions, most of the medicos expressed their concerns regarding lack of clinical exposure, in addition to their losses in social communication skills. Factors such as the legitimate requirements of clinical phase students, issues of poor internet connectivity and health problems were inclined to demand traditional learning, which were statistically significant. Conclusion: Even though they were subjected to both online and offline methods of education, majority of respondents preferred traditional learning.

Views on virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical and paramedical students in India

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the educational institutions to implement the mandatory virtual learning in medical education. It is undeniable that electronic gadget aided learning have a significant role to play during a pandemic. Both faculty and students are getting accustomed to this 'New Normalcy'. Therefore, it is of interest to determine the effectiveness and perception of virtual teaching and learning during the COVID 19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 336 medical and 336 paramedical students of both the genders with age group of 17 - 21 years participated. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS software. The shift from class room teaching to virtual learning has led to many health issues among students such as eye strain, anxiety, depression, musculoskeletal problems and obesity. The students also had inadequate time to interact with faculties. Data shows that virtual learning an alternative mode to traditional method during a pandemic.