Rapid transition to online teaching program during COVID‑19 lockdown: Experience from a medical college of India
Volume 11, Issue 3, March 2021, Pages 1-7
. Amir Maroof Khan, . Somdatta Patra, . Piyush Gupta, . Arun Kumar Sharma, . Anil K. Jain
Abstract BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 pandemic has forced medical colleges around the world to shift to
online teaching. There is hardly any evidence regarding such rapid transitions to online teaching,
especially from resource‑poor settings. We share our experience of developing an online teaching
program based on teachers’ and students’ feedback.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mixed methods study was conducted during the COVID‑19
lockdown period in a public‑funded medical institute of India. Online feedback was obtained 3 weeks
after the beginning of emergency remote teaching. The responses by the students and teachers
shaped the final online teaching program which reinforced the perceived strengths and addressed
the weaknesses. Observations were made for the proportion of scheduled lectures delivered through
digital platform and students’ attendance in the 1st week and last week of the study period.
RESULTS: Feedback was obtained from 367 students and 56 teachers. Around three‑fourths of the
students (76.7%) and teachers (73.2%) were satisfied with online teaching. The themes generated for
benefits of online teaching were similar for both students and teachers, but the perceived challenges
differed. Students found online teaching more stressful, and teachers were apprehensive of the new
technology and lack of a controlled environment.
CONCLUSIONS: A rapid transition to development and implementation of an online teaching program
was found to be feasible and acceptable to the primary stakeholders. Not only the content but student
engagement and supportive environment for both students and teachers are essential requirements
in the context of an online undergraduate teaching program.