ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Despite the apparent advantages of the flipped classroom model especially during a pandemic or natural or technogenic disasters, its overall effectiveness in higher medical and pharmaceutical education continues to be debated. AIM: The goal of the study was to test the effectiveness and acceptability of using the flipped classroom model during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher pharmaceutical education based on the example of the “Pharmaceutical Marketing” discipline at Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Russia. METHODS: The study involved 156 fourth-year pharmacy students. They were divided into three clusters: FC – studying in accordance with the flipped classroom model, FC+TBL – using the flipped classroom technology combined with the team-based method, and CC – studying by the traditional scheme (control). The study used the Unified educational portal of the Sechenov University. Additional elements were developed for the electronic educational and methodical complex for the studied section “Analysis of the marketing environment of a pharmaceutical organization.” The effectiveness of the flipped classroom model was evaluated through test control (entrance, formative, thematic, and final) and control of the development of skills and abilities in solving situational problems (thematic and final). The study participants’ attitude toward the use of the flipped classroom model was assessed through a survey. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that students from the FC and FC+TBL clusters were significantly better prepared for practical lessons and worked more effectively and productively during these classes compared to the CC cluster students. The results of the final control also substantiate the advantages of the flipped classroom technology both in assessing practical skills and abilities and in testing. The opportunities for rational implementation of the complex technology (FC+TBL cluster) are identified. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of students’ general opinion on the flipped classroom model shows that 90.4% of the FC cluster members and 84.6% of the FC+TBL cluster members are satisfied with the results of using this model and consider it suitable for studying both the “Analysis of the marketing environment of a pharmaceutical organization” section and the entire pharmaceutical marketing course. Students’ positive feedback on the use of the flipped classroom model provides grounds for further implementation of this technology in the “Pharmaceutical Marketing” discipline in its entirety and demonstrates that further research on the use of other blended learning models is quite promising.
ABSTRACT
To solve the problem of monitoring and supporting the drug adherence of patients with diabetes using diabetes mobile applications, expanding and developing the mobile apps market, and increasing their competitiveness, it is necessary to conduct market research of consumer preferences and competitive advantages of diabetes apps. This paper aims to analyze popular diabetes mobile applications in Russia and the possibilities of their use to monitor and support the drug adherence of patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods. The object of the study was 25 diabetes apps. The survey involved 985 mobile application users from 32 regions of Russia. All respondents were divided into two target segments. The first segment (S1) included 572 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, while the second target segment (S2) consisted of 413 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Field research was carried out by the method of oral survey (12.6%) and web survey (87.4%) using a structured questionnaire. Positioning was carried out using a qualitative method with a two-dimensional map of perception. Competitiveness was assessed by 28 experts using the quantitative method of individual scores with the calculation of integral indicators. Results and discussion. It was found that only about 50% of respondents in the target segment S2 and more than 70% in segment S1 had a high degree of drug adherence. The main barriers to the use of diabetes mobile applications were the insufficient formation of the support system for drug administration regimens (76.6%, S1 and 84.3%, S2) and technical difficulties (51.6%, S1 and 48.7%, S2). A comparative analysis of the results of positioning and assessment of competitiveness showed that some diabetes apps had a higher competitive advantage with an emphasis on supporting drug adherence compared to consumer preferences for their use. A strategic mechanism has been proposed to increase the importance of mobile applications to support drug administration, dosing, and control regimens in patients with diabetes mellitus to satisfy consumer preferences better. Conclusion. The results obtained provide a basis for the development of a set of measures for the further development of the basic segment of the diabetes mobile applications market for monitoring and supporting drug adherence and increasing the competitive advantages of mobile applications, which will contribute to the effective treatment and prevention of diabetes mellitus in Russia and globally.
ABSTRACT
The relevance of the study of mobile learning as an upcoming trend in education in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is not denied. Thestudy of students’ ability and motivation to use modern technologies of mobilelearning is characterized by novelty. However, the problematic issue of studyingthe motivation of students and teachers for mobile learning in today’s pandemicremains relevant. The purpose of the study is to examine some aspects of theformation of students’ motivation (intrinsic motivation: interest in the subject ofstudy, understanding of its significance for further career;extrinsic motivation:points, awards, recognition), as well as the role of teachers in this process andthe influence of cognitive abilities of a person on their motivation and academicachievement. The study is based on the method of experiment as well as the interviewsand analysis of student reports. There were 185 students (19–22 years old)from Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Far Eastern FederalUniversity participating in the study. After the participants had listened to anonline lecture on the topic “Neuro-linguistic programming”, they were asked tomake a report on the topic of the same name and expand the information. Next,the students were interviewed. The results showed that 89% of students wereinterested in the issue and 69% noted a desire to learn more information on thistopic;100% of participants actively use mobile devices with Internet access foreducational purposes and, in particular, for making the required report. However,only 12% of respondents believe that mobile learning alone can be used in orderto study specialized disciplines at their university. Thus, 43% of students find itdifficult to perceive information from the screen of a smartphone (tablet);61%of students prefer traditional education to mobile learning, which is probablydue to the novelty of this process;65% of respondents noticed that their knowledgeis deteriorating due to the use of mobile (distance) learning. In connectionwith the results obtained, the following recommendations were made to improvethe educational process: to explain to students the importance and usefulnessof the topic under study;to use adequate pedagogical methods in the context ofmobile learning;to provide feedback and the ability to communicate to studentsduring mobile learning;to take into account the personality and learning style of a student;to use all types of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of students inaccordance with specific circumstances. The most popular motivation factors formobile learning are possibility of improving exam grades (65%), possibility ofimproving knowledge (25%), and broadening horizons and deep interest in thetopic (10%). Developing applications that will take into account the needs of aparticular university and specialty will also make a contribution. Teachers arealso encouraged to use a play-based approach and a student reward system inorder to increase the level of motivation (additional points, a simplified examscheme, etc.). The practical significance and prospects for further research arepresented by the opportunities of increasing students’ motivation in the contextof mobile learning, and, consequently, the success of their studies. The resultscan be used in the comparative study of mobile learning possibilities in modernconditions and teachers’ involvement in it in different countries © 2022, International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies. All Rights Reserved.