Perceptions of undergraduate medical students regarding e-learning during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sudden shift towards the exclusive adoption of online teaching, forming the primary source of medical education and enabling students to continue to learn remotely. The role in the academic arena has gained importance furthermore considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing educational institutions around the world over to close down and thus giving rise to multiple challenges at all stages and levels of education in particular for students, due to the lockdown situation. Hence the present study was carried out to assess the perceptions of undergraduate medical students regarding e-learning during COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from April 2021 to June 2021 among 404 undergraduate medical students of IIMSR Medical College, Badnapur, Jalna, Maharashtra. The questionnaire had eliciting information about socio-demographic profile, knowledge and perception regarding advantages and challenges of e-learning was administered to them. Data was entered in Microsoft excel and analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version-13.0.Results: About 87% students were of opinion that e-learning was not useful and not motivated to use it and 38% students’ think it’s beneficial as has interactive mode, but 62% students think otherwise. Only 36% are of opinion that e-learning will improve their performance. Majority 78% students think e-learning will not help in better understanding then formal teaching methods.Conclusions: Undergraduate medical students were still more inclined towards traditional teaching rather than e-learning. Faculty members should take necessary measures for improving e-learning facility and quality to help with better learning.