Lesson learned from assessing teachers' and students' perspectives regarding the quality of e-learning in medical education during the pandemic: a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Background: The evaluation of e-learning systems ensures the provision of quality training. The goal was to identify the perspectives of teachers and students on e-learning in medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran.

Methods: This study utilized a convergent mixed methods research design with a two-phase approach to collect and analyze data between June and August 2022. In the first stage, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the quality of e-learning systems from the perspective of 400 students. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 virtual education professors and 10 student representatives to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of virtual education. A validated questionnaire was administered to assess the quality of the e-learning system, and data were analyzed using SPSS-21. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis.

Results: Our findings revealed that the student support system, the course structure, and the infrastructure and technology subscales' mean scores were significantly higher than the average level (P < 0.001). However, the professors' methods of teaching and learning strategies were unsatisfactory. The results of the present study showed that the evaluation mean score was significantly higher among, younger, female, and undergraduate students. Virtual education has strengths and weaknesses, and innovative approaches are needed to enhance student engagement. The lack of appropriate infrastructure and virtual teaching tools for teachers and students is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed. Blended learning is effective in medical education, and the shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered teaching approaches is an opportunity to explore innovative teaching approaches.

Conclusion: From the perspective of students, the quality of eLearning systems at the universities was moderate. Virtual education offers both benefits and drawbacks, and there is a requirement for innovative solutions to enhance student engagement and lessen boredom.

Keywords: E-learning; Evaluation; Medical University; Perspective; Quality; Students.