Advantages and disadvantages of distance education in teaching clinical discipline to students of the medical university

Abstract

The challenges of society have made adjustments to the medical education system of Ukraine. In the conditions of the pandemic of the coronavirus infection COVID-19 and the introduced martial law throughout the territory of Ukraine, distance learning (DL) turned out to be the only possible form of the educational process. The purpose of the study was to study the peculiarities of teaching the discipline "Propaedeutics of Pediatrics" in the conditions of the National Academy of Sciences. The process of DL at the Department of Propaedeutics of Childhood Diseases of the Dnipro State Medical University (DSMU) took place using the MOODLE electronic portal, the Google Meet video service, the YouTube platform, the website and the electronic magazine of the Dnipro State Medical University. An anonymous survey of 210 third-year students was conducted regarding their attitude and degree of satisfaction with the educational process at the Department of Propaedeutics of Childhood Diseases using educational distance technologies. As the results showed, the majority of the interviewed students are completely satisfied with the process of DL. However, when choosing a form of education, preference is still given to the classroom format of education. Among the advantages of DL, students noted the saving of time and financial costs for moving between buildings and clinical bases, the comfort of studying in a home environment, the possibility of studying at any convenient time, the availability of information resources, and the possibility of re-processing complex material. However, the biggest drawback of the DL was the lack of opportunity to work with the patient and master practical skills. So, DL, like any other method of teaching and learning, has its advantages and disadvantages. But currently existing technologies of medical education with the help of modern digital platforms, high-quality content filling of educational web resources, introduction of an effective system of quality control of acquired knowledge make it possible to adapt to the new realities of the educational process and ensure consistently high quality of medical education

Sharing LiSQuP’s Leap: Lessons and Experiences within an Online Advancement Program in the Philippines

“…In this study, participants identified enhancement of technological skills, pedagogical knowledge, and research competencies in a flexible learning set-up as among the benefits of the LiSQuP program. This aligns with the literature on ODE's capacity to prepare educators for the digital age (Bin Mubayrik, 2020;Ilchenko et al, 2022) and to enhance employability and job-related competencies (Núñez et al, 2023). Furthermore, the personal growth experienced by the participants, such as improved time management, relationship-building, and self-confidence, illustrates previous findings that ODE can contribute significantly to learners' holistic development (Drokina, 2020;Deniz & Ozek, 2023).…”

“…In the study of Bin Mubayrik (2020), respondents highlighted learning at their own pace and convenience, particularly in terms of flexible scheduling and virtual attendance, as major advantages of ODE. Similarly, Ilchenko, et al (2022) reported that ODE enables graduate students to experience time and costs savings for transportation, comfort of studying at home, flexibility to study at any preferred time, access to a variety of digital resources, and the possibility to revisit complex material for better understanding. Echoing these same findings, a study among Filipino graduate students emphasized flexibility, independence, convenience, safety, engaging learning techniques, up-to-date course materials, and dynamic and adaptable learning environment as the remarkable benefits of ODE (Núñez et al, 2023).…”

“…al., 2021), lack of detailed feedback and online support (Chimbo, et. al., 2023), lack of independent study skills (Kutlu & Titrek, 2021), and lack of opportunity to work with practical skills (Ilchenko et al, 2022). All these challenges are crucial points where improvements in ODE can be made to ensure better online learning experiences.…”

Musculoskeletal pain intensity and perceptions during distance learning: A cross‐sectional study

“…Online distance education through technology provides various benefits such as promoting greater engagement and achievement among students, flexible delivery options, and access to high-quality resources (Ilchenko et al, 2022). Nevertheless, overexposure to technology can result in physical health issues such as fatigue, headaches, shoulder stiffness, eye strain, back pain, sleep disruption, and depression (Pohorilyak et al, 2023).…”

“…Digital learning environments also require long periods spent in front of screens (Ilchenko et al, 2022). These advantages and disadvantages of block scheduling should be redefined for ODE, especially those relating to the health aspect (Azevedo et al, 2023).…”