Pan-academic in Pandemic! Remote learning goes viral, mostly out of control.

Abstract

Abstract A pandemic of viral origin has caused a pan-academic in the educational world as well. The younger student population though felt safe owing to their robust immune response but took a big hit in their emergency academic response to COVID-19 times. A pandemic needed a pan-academic response. The students were obviously not prepared and equipped for such an abrupt behavioral adaptation, with no second choice offered. Now it has evolved into global research in progress and Educators are experimenting on no-so-willing students. We studied a robust group of 138 medical students across 3 medical schools in Azerbaijan and gathered enormous amounts of data set points. Some of the major takes from our surveys proved the dichotomy and split among the medical students have in terms of coping with the unprecedented circumstances. The challenges included using combination of distance-learning platforms, i.e., synchronous lessons (similar to zoom sessions), pre-recorded lectures, powerpoint presentations, question-banks, etc. A significant difference was found between time spent on online platforms before COVID-19 (10.86%), as compared to (46.37%) during lock-down, while average students were online >15 hours per week. The commonly perceived barriers to using online teaching included, poor internet connection (72.5%), cost of technology, and distractions while studying at home (56.5%). For one group of students remote learning seemed cheaper and flexible than traditional class (saved rent, food, traffic woes). Most of the students’ settled for hybrid learning, thus giving equal weight to in-class vs remote learning experiences. We conclude that there seems to be no one size fits all-approach, we suggest a blended, hybrid, multi thronged system.