From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
IntroductionFollowing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, most universities around the world transitioned from in-person classrooms to online learning methods. This study aimed to explore the initial experiences of medical students with e-learning during the pandemic at Shiraz Universi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1476240/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832087116993003520 |
|---|---|
| author | Laleh Khojasteh Zahra Karimian Elham Nasiri Sedigheh Sharifzadeh Majid Reza Farrokhi |
| author_facet | Laleh Khojasteh Zahra Karimian Elham Nasiri Sedigheh Sharifzadeh Majid Reza Farrokhi |
| author_sort | Laleh Khojasteh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFollowing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, most universities around the world transitioned from in-person classrooms to online learning methods. This study aimed to explore the initial experiences of medical students with e-learning during the pandemic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, as well as to identify differences in students’ general perceptions based on their demographic characteristics.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 507 medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. To gather information for this study, a questionnaire created by the researchers was used, which consisted of six variables and 26 items on a Likert scale. The content validity of the questionnaire was assessed using Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR). The reliability of the questionnaire, based on the internal consistency of the questions, was confirmed by a Cronbach’s alpha of 97.5%. Data were analyzed using a one-sample t-test, independent t-test, ANOVA, and MANOVA.ResultsStudents had satisfactory e-learning experiences, and the average of e-learning components was: technological facilities (4.29 ± 1.13), technical support (4.00 ± 1.08), e-content quality (3.84 ± 1.05), synchronous education (3.59 ± 1.31), asynchronous education (3.73 ± 1.20), and teacher-student interaction (3.63 ± 1.32). Students’ perceptions of the e-learning environment were shown to be substantially connected to their age, access to electronic devices, computer proficiency, prior experience regarding e-learning, and the school in which they are studying, respectively (P = 0.027). Furthermore, students who had access to a computer were more satisfied than those who only had access to a mobile phone (P < 0.001). In medical schools where teacher-student interaction was better, more satisfaction was observed (P < 0.001). The gender factor had no effect on students’ views.ConclusionEven though it seems like e-learning can be a good substitute for or complement to face-to-face training, the most important thing that makes this method more effective is the interaction between the teacher and the students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4d2c668a1f1840fb84c801d8b2c292f2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-4d2c668a1f1840fb84c801d8b2c292f22025-02-06T07:09:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-02-011010.3389/feduc.2025.14762401476240From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemicLaleh Khojasteh0Zahra Karimian1Elham Nasiri2Sedigheh Sharifzadeh3Majid Reza Farrokhi4Department of English Language, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranDepartment of e-Learning in Medical Sciences, Virtual School and Center of Excellence in e-Learning, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranDepartment of English Language, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranDepartment of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranDepartment of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranIntroductionFollowing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, most universities around the world transitioned from in-person classrooms to online learning methods. This study aimed to explore the initial experiences of medical students with e-learning during the pandemic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, as well as to identify differences in students’ general perceptions based on their demographic characteristics.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 507 medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. To gather information for this study, a questionnaire created by the researchers was used, which consisted of six variables and 26 items on a Likert scale. The content validity of the questionnaire was assessed using Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR). The reliability of the questionnaire, based on the internal consistency of the questions, was confirmed by a Cronbach’s alpha of 97.5%. Data were analyzed using a one-sample t-test, independent t-test, ANOVA, and MANOVA.ResultsStudents had satisfactory e-learning experiences, and the average of e-learning components was: technological facilities (4.29 ± 1.13), technical support (4.00 ± 1.08), e-content quality (3.84 ± 1.05), synchronous education (3.59 ± 1.31), asynchronous education (3.73 ± 1.20), and teacher-student interaction (3.63 ± 1.32). Students’ perceptions of the e-learning environment were shown to be substantially connected to their age, access to electronic devices, computer proficiency, prior experience regarding e-learning, and the school in which they are studying, respectively (P = 0.027). Furthermore, students who had access to a computer were more satisfied than those who only had access to a mobile phone (P < 0.001). In medical schools where teacher-student interaction was better, more satisfaction was observed (P < 0.001). The gender factor had no effect on students’ views.ConclusionEven though it seems like e-learning can be a good substitute for or complement to face-to-face training, the most important thing that makes this method more effective is the interaction between the teacher and the students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1476240/fulle-learningstudentsviewpointsmedical educationonline learningCOVID-19 pandemic |
| spellingShingle | Laleh Khojasteh Zahra Karimian Elham Nasiri Sedigheh Sharifzadeh Majid Reza Farrokhi From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic Frontiers in Education e-learning students viewpoints medical education online learning COVID-19 pandemic |
| title | From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | From classroom to screen: a cross-sectional study on medical students’ first experiences with e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | from classroom to screen a cross sectional study on medical students first experiences with e learning during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | e-learning students viewpoints medical education online learning COVID-19 pandemic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1476240/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lalehkhojasteh fromclassroomtoscreenacrosssectionalstudyonmedicalstudentsfirstexperienceswithelearningduringthecovid19pandemic AT zahrakarimian fromclassroomtoscreenacrosssectionalstudyonmedicalstudentsfirstexperienceswithelearningduringthecovid19pandemic AT elhamnasiri fromclassroomtoscreenacrosssectionalstudyonmedicalstudentsfirstexperienceswithelearningduringthecovid19pandemic AT sedighehsharifzadeh fromclassroomtoscreenacrosssectionalstudyonmedicalstudentsfirstexperienceswithelearningduringthecovid19pandemic AT majidrezafarrokhi fromclassroomtoscreenacrosssectionalstudyonmedicalstudentsfirstexperienceswithelearningduringthecovid19pandemic |