Blended E-learning on clinical skills learning from the medical student’s perspectives

Abstract

With the rapid development of the internet, learning technology responds to the birth of e-learning with the vast use of a various Learning Management System (LMS) software to facilitate online learning in a structured manner. Moodle is an LMS developed by Martin Dougiamas which has four basic concepts, namely: constructivism, constructionism, social constructionism, connect and separate. Several studies have shown that learning reform that combines Moodle with conventional classes, shows an increase in student knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. This study aims to compile a student’s perception on Moodle-based e-learning model in clinical skills learning in the Medical Faculty. This qualitative case study adopted the ‘define’ and ‘develop’ phases of the 4D model of a module development. The informants were 11 fourth-year medical students, at the academic phase of a medical school at Universitas Islam Bandung, Indonesia. This study was conducted using unstructured in-depth interviews and small group discussions. The verbatim data were transcribed using Microsoft Word and analysed using NVivo ver.12 software. Four major themes emerged from the define phase: teaching materials, training evaluation, student’s learning styles, and the weaknesses of the conventional clinical skills training. This research described that conventional way of clinical skills learning has many limitations and suggested that the use of e-learning based module such as Moodle, could be used as a blended learning approach and can cover the shortcomings of conventional learning methods in clinical skills teaching of the medical students.