The Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Teaching-Learning Process: A Theoretical Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the global educational standards of nearly 1.6 billion pupils in over 200 countries. For instance, face-to- face educational cancellations, social alienation and constrained mobility restrictions of students around the world have wreaked havoc on standard teaching approaches. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, various findings have been reported by a group of investigators on the teaching and learning process. At a wide range of educational institutions, face-to-face training has been tapered away where inclusive educational settings and evaluation techniques required urgent creativity and deployment. The role of faculty members has been transformed from the traditional lecturer-centric to student-centric model which serves the current new global situation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the university staff perceptions, experiences and barriers, and focus on their e-learning challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study investigates the factors that have influenced the acceptance of e-learning as a teaching tool at the higher educational level that could assist in implementing e-learning for future endeavours.

The Psychological Effects of Physicians' Communication Skills on COVID-19 Patients.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected physician-patient communication (PPC) in multiple ways. This study aims to report on the impact of physician-patient communication (PPC) skills on COVID-19 patients' psychology in Jordan. SAMPLE AND METHODS: In this study, two questionnaires were designed. The first questionnaire targeted physicians, with 72 responses, and the second questionnaire targeted patients, with 248 responses. Both questionnaires contained common sections covering nine aspects of communication such as empathy, honesty, optimism, simple and deliberateness. RESULTS: This study found that the psychological effect of physicians' positive communication skills on COVID-19 patients is significant. There were almost statistical agreement between physicians' and patients' questionnaire responses that the physicians' communication skills have positively affected the patients' psychological status; all patients' responses confirmed this finding. CONCLUSION: Based on this study's findings, appropriate and continuous training will advance physicians' communication skills in the form of exercises that could be as simple as class- or lecture-based activities, or using technology-based learning. Using a protocol or handbook to guide such communication is another essential strategy to enhance physician-patient communication (PPC). The study recommends that physicians must be aware that PPC skills required may vary depending on whether they are dealing with a pandemic or non-pandemic situation. Generally, appropriate or positive communication skills are considered one of the main factors effecting patients' psychological responses to their diagnosis.