ABSTRACT
SUMMARY: The importance and relevance of e-learning courses in medicine and health sciences has increased significantly in the last decade. Despite this, there are few published teaching experiences of e-learning histology courses in the literature worldwide. The histology course we designed was structured on the Moodle platform as a learning management system, and the content was proposed in a synchronous (zoom) and asynchronous (recordings) format. We also included the use of free virtual microscopy tools. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an e-learning histology course on the satisfaction and performance of medical, nursing and midwifery students. The sample included 424 Chilean medical, nursing, and midwifery students from two cohorts. A Likert-type survey was administered at the end of the course. We performed exploratory analysis and ordinary least squares regression. In this study, we present a positive experience of an e-learning histology course. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three main factors related to "e- learning satisfaction", "in-person class activities", and "course design and teaching quality". We also found that there was a positive and significant relationship between students' perceptions of the adaptation of the traditional (face-to-face) histology course into an e-learning format and their academic performance. Our study shows that e-learning histology courses that integrate lectures and practical sessions can be a valuable teaching method for learning histology. Curriculum developers and teachers need to consider the limitations and advantages of this type of teaching and incorporate these three factors into the design and assessment of e-learning histology courses.
La importancia y relevancia de los cursos e-learning en medicina y ciencias de la salud ha aumentado significativamente en la última década. A pesar de ello, existen pocas experiencias docentes publicadas de cursos de histología e-learning en la literatura a nivel mundial. El curso de histología que diseñamos se estructuró en la plataforma Moodle, y los contenidos se propusieron en formato síncrono (zoom) y asíncrono (grabaciones). También incluimos el uso de herramientas gratuitas de microscopía virtual. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar el impacto de un curso de histología e-learning en la satisfacción y el rendimiento de los estudiantes de medicina, enfermería y obstetricia. La muestra incluyó 424 estudiantes chilenos de medicina, enfermería y obstetricia de dos cohortes. Se aplicó una encuesta tipo Likert al final del curso. Se realizó un análisis exploratorio y una regresión por mínimos cuadrados ordinarios. En este estudio, presentamos una experiencia positiva de un curso de e-learning de histología. El análisis factorial exploratorio reveló tres factores principales relacionados con la "satisfacción sobre el aprendizaje e-learning", "clases presenciales versus clases virtuales" y el "diseño del curso y la calidad de la enseñanza". También encontramos que existía una relación positiva y significativa entre las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre la adaptación del curso de histología tradicional (presencial) a un formato e-learning y su rendimiento académico. Nuestro estudio muestra que los cursos de histología e-learning que integran clases teóricas y sesiones prácticas pueden ser una valiosa herramienta de enseñanza. Los responsables de la elaboración de planes de estudios y los profesores de histología deben tener en cuenta las limitaciones y ventajas de este tipo de enseñanza y sugerimos incorporar estos tres factores al diseño y la evaluación de los cursos de histología en línea.
Subject(s)
Humans , Students, Health Occupations/psychology , Education, Distance , Histology/education , Personal Satisfaction , Students, Medical/psychology , Students, Nursing/psychology , Linear Models , Surveys and Questionnaires , Academic Performance , Health OccupationsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many medical schools are forced to switch courses of the mandatory curriculum to online teaching formats. However, little information about feasibility and effectiveness is available yet about distance teaching in anatomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a histology course previously taught in a classroom setting into an online-only format based on video conference software. METHODS: Our course design included theoretical introductions, an online-adaptation of virtual microscopy used previously in the classroom, and active learning elements such as collaborative learning in breakout rooms, annotation assignments and multiple-choice questions. Two preclinical semester cohorts of around 400 second and third semester students were taught in histology in parallel courses, using the Zoom software platform. We analyzed data about student attendance during the course, summative quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the students and results of a written test required to pass the course. RESULTS: We observed that student attendance was high and stable during the 19 course days for both second and third semester, and only few students reported technical problems. There were no significant differences in examination results of second semester compared to the third semester, an unexpected result as the third semester already participated in the dissection course before. Similarly, no significant gender-related effects on the examination performance could be noted in both semesters. However, the age of students was negatively correlated with test scores in the second and third semester. Importantly, the overall evaluation of the digital version of the histology course was at least as positive as the in-person version over the past years. CONCLUSION: Together, we experienced that the implementation of a curricular histology course in an online-format is technically realizable, effective and well accepted among students. We also observed that availability and prior experience with digitized specimen in virtual microscopy facilitates transition into an online-only setting. Thus, our study supports the positive potential of distance learning for teaching anatomy during and after COVID-19 pandemic but also emphasizes the need for a synchronous learning environment with partially personnel-intensive small group settings to overcome passivity and inequality aspects, and to foster active learning elements.