Motivators and Barriers for Using E-learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic among Students at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda

Abstract

BackgroundTo continue delivering the courses despite school closure during the covid-19 pandemic, the University of Rwanda abruptly shifted its teaching from traditional physical to online teaching. This was the compulsory medium of teaching during the lockdown period. This sudden change did not allow for adequate preparation for students. ObjectivesTo assess the preparation of learners to use the e-learning platform, and to explore the factors that enabled or inhibited learners’ use of the e-learning platform. MethodThis was a cross-sectional quantitative research design study done between June and July 2020. An online questionnaire was sent to all students registered in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences for the academic year 2019-2020. ResultsA total of 446 students completed the questionnaire. Students reported not being adequately oriented and unprepared to effectively use e-learning. Students were motivated to use e-learning when the learning objectives were clear, interactive, with engaging materials. Inadequate e-learning infrastructure, limited access to internet connectivity and inadequate devices were identified as the strongest barriers of using e-learning. ConclusionThe covid-19 pandemic has brought a transformational opportunity to embrace a blended learning approach. To sustain such a transformation, proper and timely planning and strategies need to be invested.
 Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2022;5(1):99-112

Teaching and Learning during COVID-19 Crisis: Faculty Preparedness and Factors Influencing the Use of E-learning Platform at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda

“…The determination and willingness to attend e-learning use training may have prepared them with the skills to navigate the e-learning platform, as well as increased their motivation to use it. [17][18][19][20] While one can argue that the COVID-19 pandemic pushed faculty to use e-learning since it was their only option, at the same time, this study found a positive correlation between the training faculty received and their motivation to use the e-learning teaching approach.The results indicate that more than 92.1% of faculty who participated in this study used the e-learning teaching approach, and 51.7% reported logging into the e-learning platform at least once a day.…”

The Development of Online Learning Media based on Tiktok for Teaching Local Wisdom Course during the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…All kinds of learning media need to be made, constructed or orchestrated with the ongoing teaching and learning process during the pandemic, considering that several teaching and learning models have been implemented following the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus [12]. One of the biggest shifts in the teaching and learning process during the pandemic was the instruction from the government to conduct all sorts of teaching activities online through the Internet [13], following the order to decrease public interaction. This online learning approach relies heavily on both parties'-the educators and students'-Internet access [14].…”