Google Classroom as a Teaching Tool for Undergraduate Embryology

Abstract

Context and aimModern teaching of medicine has evolved into a beyond-the-classroom experience. Learning management systems (LMSs) have made this possible because of easy accessibility and user-friendliness. The COVID-19 lockdown further accentuated the need for this mode of education delivery. General embryology (GE) is a subject under human anatomy that does not rely on "touch-and-feel" as much as other medical subjects. Assess Google Classroom (GC) as a teaching tool to deliver an online undergraduate-level general embryology (GE) course. Settings and designA cross-sectional study involving 211 undergraduate medical students across India. Methods and materialA pre-and post-quiz model was adopted to evaluate the efficiency of a five-lecture course on GE. The course content was delivered via 20-minute YouTube video lectures, uploaded on GC. Lastly, student feedback regarding gadget preferences and the overall learning experience was collected. Statistical Analysis: The confidence interval was set at 95%, and a p-value </= 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Data were analyzed using SPSS software v.23. ResultsWe observed a significant increase in mean quiz scores of all quizzes with increased perceived confidence in the subject, yet a high attrition rate (74.8 %). GC scored a 4.3/5 for user-friendliness, and 83.7% of students preferred cell phones for accessing GC. ConclusionGC, with its limitations, poses a significant challenge to teaching GE online. Software updates in the future might prove it to be a competent alternative to other LMSs in the market. GC falls short in terms of providing optimum levels of assessment and interaction for learning complex topics like embryology.