Factors Affecting Undergraduate Medical Students' Perception of Online Education During the COVID Pandemic at a Teaching Hospital in Eastern India

Abstract

Background: Shift from medical education to online mode during the coronavirus pandemic started without much preparation. Students’ perception is vital to further improve online medical education. Objectives: This study aimed to assess undergraduate medical students' perception of online education and conduct factor analysis of responses to identify latent variables. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted among the phase II undergraduate medical students. A structured questionnaire was mailed to 200 randomly selected students. Variables collected were demographics (age, sex, residence, and mother language), academic profile, and perception of online education. Outcome measures were frequencies, percentages, and the degree of agreement to given statements about online education. Factor analysis was done by principal component analysis with varimax rotation to identify latent factors. Results: Analysis was done for 115 completed questionnaires. The mean age of the respondents was 21.2 yrs, with a male preponderance (82.6%). The students had low satisfaction with online classes and did not consider online education as effective as offline classes. Exploratory factor analysis identified three factors, including 'planning and delivery of online lessons', 'satisfaction with online education,' and 'opportunity to interact.' Conclusions: Online education was not as effective as in-person education. The reason was mainly changes in student-teacher interaction.

Is Satisfaction with Online Learning Related to Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia Symptoms? A Cross-Sectional Study on Medical Undergraduates in Romania

“…Our findings emphasize an important predictor role of the individual psychopathology which may not have been reported or diagnosed and may mediate in a critical way the perception of the online learning format of teaching. Our results confirmed previous studies regarding low interactivity within the online learning format [ 66 , 67 ], despite some studies reporting interactivity among the most pleasant aspects [ 54 ] with social, economic differences regarding technical possibilities, and various cultural attitudes having an important impact on the results. This study was completed after two years from the onset of the pandemic, and thus a year after many local educational adaptations; however, most students found online learning to be less effective than the classic format, reporting fewer issues with technology but significant individual distress.…”

Student Perception of Online Teaching in Undergraduate Dental Education in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study

“…A study performed at a teaching hospital in Eastern India also concludes that online teaching is not as effective as face-to-face teaching, and the reason was mainly the change in the student-teacher interaction [25]. King Saud University performed a survey to identify the readiness towards online learning among preclinical dental students in 2017, and they found that the students' attitude was positive towards online learning but only to supplement classroom teaching and not to replace it [26].…”