Kenya Medical Training College laboratory student perception on adequacy of teaching and learning resources in the advent of COVID-19

Abstract

The emergence of COVID-19 presented a big challenge in medical education, especially with regard to the adequacy of teaching and learning resources. In addition, an increase in student intake and demand for Kenya Medical Training College courses could compromise these resources. This study investigated the perceptions of students towards the adequacy of teaching and learning resources at Kenya Medical Training College in the advent of COVID-19. The general objective was to determine the perceived adequacy of teaching and learning resources in the advent of COVID-19 by students in the department of Medical Laboratory Sciences at Kenya Medical Training College. A descriptive cross-sectional study design using mixed methods (triangulation) was used. Simple random sampling of the eight regions in the country was used to select one region (the Eastern Region). Census sampling was used to select all the four campuses in the region namely Machakos, Meru, Embu, and Kitui, which offer medical laboratory sciences. The study population was students in the department of medical laboratory sciences on these campuses, with 220 students participating. The data collection instrument was a self- administered closed- and open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data collected was analysed using SPSS software, while qualitative data was analysed using themes. The response rate was 100% (220 students). The gender distribution among students showed a higher percentage in male (58%). Majority of the students were 21-23 years (35%). One-way ANOVA presented a statistically significance between and within groups (P<0.05). Majority of students (51.8%) were not satisfied with adequacy of human resources. Majority of students perceived the state of physical facilities to be in poor state with a mean of 1.76, while the satisfaction level of majority of students’ on teaching aids was below 3.40 representing very inadequate to neutral. Ordinal regression tests on satisfaction level on teaching aids in relation to gender, year of study and campus was significant (chi-square test p<0.000) while the goodness of fit model was (p=1.000) indicating it was a good model. R^2 value (Nagelkerke=99%) indicated that the study factors had great variations. The spearman’s rank test showed that laboratory equipment and computer assisted aids, internet, learning systems have negative correlation but with very strong coefficient correlation of 1.0000. Satisfaction levels with teaching aids in relation to gender, year of study, and campus were significant with a chi-square test of P < 0.000. The study concluded that there were inadequate teaching and learning resources on the four KMTC campuses before COVID-19.