We’re Not Sure We Like It but We Still Want More: Trainee and Faculty Perceptions of Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective In this study, the authors aim to compare perceptions of remote learning versus in-person learning among faculty and trainees at a single institution during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate the impact that a brief faculty training on best practices in online teaching would have on faculty attitudes towards remote learning. Methods The authors conducted an attitude survey on remote learning among trainees and faculty members approximately 3 months after the transition from in-person to remote learning. The authors then conducted a faculty training on best practices in online teaching followed by an evaluation survey. Study findings were examined descriptively and by Fisher’s exact testing. Results The response rates for the attitudes survey were 68% among trainees and 61% among faculty. Trainees and faculty perceived in-person learning more favorably than remote learning across a variety of domains, including overall enjoyment, interpersonal connection, ability to communicate, and concentration. Despite these trends, only 10% of trainees and 14% of faculty felt that all lectures would be most effectively delivered in-person when this becomes possible again. The response rate for the faculty training evaluation survey was 16%. Compared to non-attendees, faculty attendees reported more confidence in their ability to teach remotely (89% vs 56%, p =0.02) and but not increased optimism (89% vs 63%, p =0.06). Conclusions The study findings suggest that both trainees and faculty perceive remote learning negatively compared to in-person learning but still feel that some lectures should be delivered remotely even after a return to in-person learning is possible.

The pedagogical challenges of teaching psychiatry residents during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Such techniques include for example cloud-based cen-tralized classrooms, distance learning solutions to simulate radiology workstations, simulated daily readouts 27,32 , an online video library of patient encounters, teleconferencing, social media 10 , a flipped virtual classroom model, a social-mediabased platform to provide daily practice questions 11 , virtual wet labs, virtual-reality learning and surgical simulators 18,31 , podcasts 10 , and case conferences that combine low-fidelity simulation with gamification elements 33 . Remote learning in psychiatry was perceived less favorably among residents than in-person learning, while using real patients in e-learning during training in CAP evaluates positively by underground students 5,21 . Trainees in medical specialties other than psychiatry, such as orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery, expressed positivity and encouraging results regarding remote training, as well as preferences for virtual conferencing's 20,28,35 .…”

“…An original study by Heldt et al 5 presented a brief report that aimed to compare faculty members' and trainees' perceptions of remote learning versus in-person learning. The results showed that both groups perceived in-person learning more favorably than remote learning in several domains, such as "overall enjoyment," "interpersonal connection," "concentration," and "ability to communicate."…”

Potential effects of Covid-19 on training in CAP: the balance after a year

“…The experience has challenged the idea that all teaching has to be in person. Only 10% of trainees and 14% of faculty felt that all lectures would be most effectively delivered in-person in the future [ 13 ].…”

Applications of Clinical Informatics to Child Mental Health Care: a Call to Action to Bridge Practice and Training

“…The recent US Surgeon General's Advisory on protecting youth mental health [4] underscores rising child mental health needs placing an unprecedented strain on the child mental health care system [5][6][7]. Together, these forces have been an impetus for child and adolescent psychiatrists and allied professionals to think critically about how to better leverage clinical informatics to meet the mental health needs of children [8] and learn collectively about the growing role of technology-driven and technology-informed modes of practice in supporting quality of child mental health care [9].…”