Safiah Mhd Homam, Alchallah Mhd Obai, ElHomsi Muhammad Omar, Kalalib Al Ashabi Khaled, Ataya Sham, Alolabi Homam, Mohsen Fatema, Darjazini Nahas Louei
Faculty of Medicine, Syrian Private University, Mazzeh Street, P.O. Box 36822, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
Faculty of Medicine, Damascus University, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Jul 31;24(1):826. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05817-0.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the education sector, leading to the closure of colleges and schools and disrupting the learning process for an uncertain duration. In response, electronic learning has emerged as a suitable method for continuing the educational process during the lockdown. This study aimed to assess the attitudes, practices, and barriers to e-learning among medical students at Syrian Private University.
A cross-sectional survey study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine of the Syrian Private University (SPU) in Damascus, Syria. The study used a convenience sampling approach and was carried out from June 2021 to January 2022. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire structured into two sections. The first section included 12 sociodemographic questions. The second section assessed students' attitudes, practices, and barriers related to e-learning, and consisted of 14 questions on attitudes, 11 questions on practices, and 9 questions on barriers.
Of the 519 participating students, over half (55.1%) exhibited a negative attitude towards e-learning. However, more than 60% reported engaging in e-learning activities such as downloading educational content and participating in virtual study groups. The main barriers identified were unstable internet connections (92.7%) and challenges in communication with educators (82.7%). Bionomical logistic regression revealed that negative attitudes were predicted by housing status, academic year, health status, lack of engagement with colleagues in e-learning practices, and the reported barriers of difficulty adjusting learning style, lack of technical skills, poor communication with educators, limited access to devices, and limited space conducive for studying (P < 0.05).
While medical students at SPU were actively engaged in e-learning, over half held negative attitudes. These negative attitudes were associated with the various barriers that students reported. The findings can inform stakeholders in our institution and other Syrian universities about the challenges of implementing e-learning in medical colleges.
新冠疫情对教育部门产生了重大影响，导致高校关闭，学习进程中断，且中断时长不明。作为应对措施，电子学习已成为在封锁期间继续教育进程的一种合适方法。本研究旨在评估叙利亚私立大学医学生对电子学习的态度、实践情况及障碍。
在叙利亚大马士革的叙利亚私立大学医学院开展了一项横断面调查研究。该研究采用便利抽样法，于2021年6月至2022年1月进行。数据通过一份分为两个部分的自填式问卷收集。第一部分包括12个社会人口统计学问题。第二部分评估学生对电子学习的态度、实践情况及障碍，由14个关于态度的问题、11个关于实践的问题和9个关于障碍的问题组成。
在519名参与研究的学生中，超过半数（55.1%）对电子学习持消极态度。然而，超过60%的学生报告参与了电子学习活动，如下载教育内容和参加虚拟学习小组。确定的主要障碍是网络连接不稳定（92.7%）以及与教育工作者沟通存在困难（82.7%）。生物统计学逻辑回归显示，居住状况、学年、健康状况、在电子学习实践中与同事缺乏互动，以及报告的学习风格难以调整、缺乏技术技能、与教育工作者沟通不畅、设备获取受限和学习空间有限等障碍可预测消极态度（P < 0.05）。
虽然叙利亚私立大学的医学生积极参与电子学习，但超过半数持消极态度。这些消极态度与学生报告的各种障碍有关。研究结果可为我校及其他叙利亚大学的利益相关者提供有关在医学院实施电子学习所面临挑战的信息。
