eLEARNING;

ARE WE THERE YET?

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the readiness for eLearning in dental institutes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Three dental institutes affiliated with three different universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. Period: October 2016 to January 2017. Methods: Participants were all the dental students (n=789), postgraduate trainees (n=167) and faculty members (n=103) of these institutes. Data were collected using pre-validated ‘Students' E-learning Readiness Scale’ and interpreted through descriptive and non-parametric statistics. Results: The response rate was 54% (568/1059). The respondents were predominantly female (62.3%), however, most of the faculty members were male. The mean scores for the undergraduates, postgraduates and the faculty across all the subscales (technology access, online skills and relationship, motivation, online audio/video preferences, readiness for online discussions and the importance of e-learning to participants’ success) were above 3, indicating good readiness. The agreement was relatively lower in the subscales on motivation and online discussions. The mean scores of the faculty were higher than the undergraduate and postgraduate students. A comparison among genders also showed significantly higher readiness for eLearning among males than the female. Both the public and private institutes have access to technology and internet facilities. Conclusion: The undergraduate, postgraduate students and faculty from the public and private-sector institutes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have good readiness for eLearning. The female students need further training in effective use of computer and internet for educational purpose. Course designers should focus on improving learners’ motivation and online interaction. Future research should compare our findings with institutions in other provinces of Pakistan.