Medical students’ e-learning during Covid-19 lockdown

Abstract

E-Learning is ‘learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom’. During COVID-19 lockdown, the idea of e-learning is being debated rigorously to guide the medical students at their homes. In Pakistan, many believe it to be simply providing the instructional material to the students on college website which they can access through internet. It is a very efficient way of delivering courses online. Due to its convenience and flexibility, the resources are available from anywhere and at any time. Everyone can take advantage of web-based learning. Medical faculty try to transform a student in to a ‘self-learner’, i.e., one who can read the book comprehensively and can extract what is relevant and important and inculcate this knowledge into his or her behaviour. Apart from economic restraints and other limitations like unavailability of internet in remote areas, our teachers are not well-versed with this instructional methodology. A doctor has knowledge, attitudes and skills which he applies to treat patients. What we can or want to impart through e-Learning is ‘Knowledge’ and the other two traits, attitudes and skills, cannot be imparted through e-learning. Other aspects of a medical students’ training like interpersonal skills and teamwork, communication skills and behavioural skills cannot be learnt through e-learning or tele-learning. Nevertheless, e-learning modalities are widely integrated in medical education. During the lockdown due to COVID-19, whatever type and to whatever extent e-learning is used, it is a better alternative.

Pak J Physiol 2020;16(1):1?2