Perception of undergraduate students towards E-learning vs. Traditional Learning in a Public Sector Medical College.

Abstract

Objective: The e-learning technique for teaching has been gradually active in undergraduate medical education in current years. This article serves as an early exploration into medical student perceptions of the benefits and limitations of the E-learning. Study Design: Prospective study. Setting: Sahiwal Medical College Sahiwal. Period: 1^st February 2020 to 31^ST March 2020. Material & Methods: To determine the perception of undergraduate students towards E-learning vs. Traditional Learning the students of the 4th year and Final year MBBS were provided with a questionnaire. Students of Sahiwal medical college have already been taught via both methods i.e., traditional face to face teaching and via video lectures and WhatsApp e-learning. Results: Students’ perception of E-learning as compared to Traditional learning: Fifty-two % students disagreed with that Traditional learning is more difficult and challenging than E-learning. Out of 182 responses again 54 % of the students disagreed with the fact that Learning materials or recorded lectures are as effective as face-to-face teaching/classroom situations. Conclusion: To date in our study, the students’ reaction to e-learning solicitations in undergraduate medical education is not much optimistic. Moreover, students generally did not express strong satisfaction for active learning modalities over traditional lecture-based learning.