Blended Learning vs. E-learning: Determining the Best Mode of Education from the Perspective of the Learners

The study aims to determine students' perceptions regarding the blended mode of learning in the Post-COVID era of Aligarh Muslim University. An online questionnaire was designed (Google form) with the help of previous studies and forwarded the web link through text messaging, email, WhatsApp, and Facebook. In total, 291 participants (undergraduates, postgraduates, and research scholars) filled out the online questionnaire. The result shows that the blended mode of learning is well accepted by the students, but when it comes to practical classes, this mode surely does not suffice. When it comes to the attitude of the students towards the blended mode of learning, the results suggest that most of the students are comfortable. Further, the blended mode comes with the complexities of e-learning and technical issues like poor internet connectivity, technical problems, limited internet packs, unstructured reading materials, etc., causing many difficulties in the overall learning process. This is the first study that assesses the students' perceptions towards the blended mode of learning in Aligarh Muslim University. The findings may be useful in developing new strategies for improving the learning environment in any academic institution. © 2023, DESIDOC.

Mental Health Status of Health Care Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Central Punjab

Introduction: Frontline medical workers are at risk of not just adverse physical outcomes from Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) but psychological ones too. Healthcare workers might develop symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. Objective: To assess the mental health status of health care professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic at a tertiary care hospital of Central Punjab. Methodology: Study design: Cross-Sectional study. Study setting: Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, R.Y.Khan. Study Duration: 20th May 2020 to 20th August 2020. Study subjects: Healthcare professionals including medical and paramedical staff. Sample size: A total of 215 Subjects were included in the study. Sampling technique: Convenient sampling technique. Inclusion criteria: Male and female health care professionals of SZMC/H, R.Y.Khan present in a single working shift. Exclusion criteria: Subjects who refused to give informed verbal consent and those absent from the shift of data collection. Data collection method: Data was collected on pre-designed questionnaire. The questionnaire included information regarding age, sex, job title, working station, etc. Data analysis: Data was entered in and analyzed by using SPSS Version. 21. Numerical variables like age was presented as mean ± standard deviation. Categorical variables like sex, job title, working station were shown as percentages. Results: Our study shows that sex ratio was Male (41.4%) and Female (58.6%). We compared the subjects on variables of Sex, Job title and Ward/Department. The prevalence of depression among Males was Normal 69.7%, Borderline 18.0% and Abnormal 12.4% while in Females it was Normal 56.3%, Borderline 20.6% and Abnormal 23.0%. The prevalence of anxiety among Males was Normal 67.4%, Borderline 18.0% and Abnormal 14.6% while in Females it was Normal 38.1%, Borderline 28.6% and Abnormal 33.3%. Our study on the basis of Job title showed that Medical Staff has prevalence of depression of Normal 67.8%, Borderline 18.3% and Abnormal 13.9% while in Paramedical Staff it was Normal 31.4%, Borderline 25.7% and Abnormal 42.9%. The prevalence of anxiety among Medical Staff was Normal 55.6%, Borderline 22.8% and Abnormal 21.7% while in Paramedical Staff it was Normal 22.9%, Borderline 31.4% and Abnormal 45.7%. On the basis of Wards/Department, the prevalence of Depression in Medicine and Allied was Normal 62.7%, Borderline 23.9% and Abnormal 13.4%;in Surgery and Allied was Normal 67.2%, Borderline 22.4% and Abnormal 10.3%;in Paeds and Gynae/Obs. was Normal 63.5%, Borderline 11.5% and Abnormal 25.0%;in Flu Filter Clinic/Isolation Ward/ICU was Normal 50.0%, Borderline 18.4% and Abnormal 31.6%. The prevalence of Anxiety in Medicine and Allied was Normal 52.2%, Borderline 20.9% and Abnormal 26.9%;in Surgery and Allied was Normal 55.2%, Borderline 24.1% and Abnormal 20.7%;in Paeds and Gynae/Obs. was Normal 46.2%, Borderline 26.9% and Abnormal 26.9%;in Flu Filter Clinic/Isolation Ward/ICU was Normal 44.7%, Borderline 26.3% and Abnormal 28.9%. Conclusion: COVID-19 Pandemic has some major effects on the mental health status of health care professionals in terms of depression and anxiety that need to be addressed by providing better health care facilities, by arranging awareness seminars and counseling sessions.

Assessment of gap between knowledge and practice of PPES among healthcare professionals during Covid-19"

Objective: To assess the gap between knowledge and practice of PPEs among healthcare professionals during COVID-19. Study design: Cross-Sectional study. Study setting: Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. Study Duration: May-August 2020. Methodology: A total of 214 Healthcare professionals (including medical and paramedical staff) were included in this study using convenient sampling technique. Data was collected on pre-designed questionnaire. The questionnaire included information regarding age, sex, job title, working station, etc. then data was entered in and analyzed by using SPSS Version. 21. Numerical variables like age was presented as mean ± standard deviation. Categorical variables like sex, job title, working station were shown as percentages. Results: Our study included the subjects with 88 (41.1%) males and 126 (58.9%) females. Mean age of study subjects came out to be 26.6±3.954 years. It is observed that only 95 (44.4%) of the subjects have PPEs;only 85 (39.7%) were provided PPEs from their respective healthcare authorities and 137 (64%) can afford purchasing PPEs on their own. And there is a major gap seen between the knowledge about PPEs/appreciation of their effectiveness and the practice of PPEs by these healthcare professionals. Regarding PPEs (which include gown, surgical mask, N-95 mask, gloves, goggles, head cover, shoe cover, social distancing, hand sanitizer and hand washing), this lag is seen majorly among the healthcare professionals working in general wards;less among emergency staff and least among the subjects working at flu filter clinic or isolation wards. Conclusion: Majority of healthcare professionals appreciate the effectiveness of PPEs against corona virus but don't bring them into practice;either due to non-availability of PPEs or they have some attitude problem towards it.