Online teaching as supplementary tool during lockdown among undergraduate medical students in an Indian medical college

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Education is undergoing profound changes due to permanent technological innovations. During covid pandemic, students were struggling with authentic study material due to the sudden lockdown. Objectives: In order to supplement and assess the impact of online lectures during covid pandemic a course was designed using an online learning management system (LMS), ‘Moodle’ (modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment. Methods: The teaching approach was supported by multimedia didactic materials to introduce the concepts of Web-based learning environments. We assessed the student’s online activity logs to know the student’s interests and engagement. The study was conducted among 170 first-year MBBS students of batch 2020. The five-point Likert scale was used to measure student attitudes related to supplementary material use. Results: The majority of students gave positive feedback: 79% of students were in agreement that supplementary material added extra interest to the topic and 88% stated that it was useful and relevant. Students displayed positive attitudes towards using LMS and gained adequate knowledge in an information-rich environment. Conclusion: The integration of Moodle in Physiology teaching improved student’s interest and motivation as suggested by student’s active participation to access supplementary resources. Such efforts also give insights to course administrators for setting teaching plans and providing meaningful learning experiences.