Students’ attitudes toward digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey conducted following an online course in gynecology and obstetrics

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this survey was to assess medical students’ opinions about online learning programs and their preferences for specific teaching formats during COVID 19 pandemic. Methods Between May and July 2020, medical students who took an online gynecology and obstetrics course were asked to fill in a questionnaire anonymously. The questionnaire solicited their opinions about the course, the teaching formats used (online lectures, video tutorials featuring real patient scenarios, and online practical skills training), and digital learning in general. Results Of 103 students, 98 (95%) submitted questionnaires that were included in the analysis. 84 (86%) students had no problem with the online course and 70 (72%) desired more online teaching in the future. 37 (38%) respondents preferred online to traditional lectures. 72 (74%) students missed learning with real patients. All digital teaching formats received good and excellent ratings from > 80% of the students. Conclusion The survey results show medical students’ broad acceptance of the online course during COVID 19 pandemic and indicates that digital learning options can partially replace conventional face-to-face teaching. For content taught by lecture, online teaching might be an alternative or complement to traditional education. However, bedside-teaching remains a key pillar of medical education.

How to make students satisfied with digital teaching? Investigative results from teaching evaluations in Gynecology and Obstetrics

“…In any case, our results give hints that teaching was assessed quite similarly across the first three semesters during COVID-19. The comparatively long study period from June 2020–July 2021 is a particular strength of our study, which sets it apart from other studies like the one from Olmes et al [ 11 ], that only reports data from the summer semester 2020. Our results implicate that assessment of different aspects of online teaching might be quite stable and that results are also important for the future.…”

“…Nevertheless, several authors report that digital teaching in medicine during COVID-19 would have been assessed quite positively [ 11 , 12 ]. Positive effects could be also observed on learning success [ 13 ] and so it seems reasonable to consider both disadvantages and advantages of digital teaching in evaluations.…”

Blended (online and in‐person) Women’s Health Interprofessional Learning by Simulation (WHIPLS) for medical and midwifery students

“…Among student cohorts, online‐facilitated education is broadly accepted and has high satisfaction rates, although participants recognise that it does not replace conventional in‐person teaching – it functions as an adjunct, not a substitute 20 . While blended learning is not a new concept, increasing reliance on this approach places further scrutiny on its contribution to education.…”

dePression, ANxiety, and acaDEMIC Performance in COVID-19: Pandemic. A Cross-sectional Study.

“…Most students referred to miss actual patients during classes and commented that online classes could not replace patient contact in the hospital preferred traditional lectures. 21 . A study made in 2018 compared the grades of a sample of medical students, alternating the use of live and prerecorded classes in a preparation course.…”