Discontents and Blessings of Emergency Distance Learning During Covid-19: A Qualitative Study in Two Universities of Karachi, Pakistan

Authors

  • Nusrat Shah
  • Nighat Shah
  • Mehjabeen Musharraf
  • Lubna Baig

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51985/JBUMDC2023216

Keywords:

Covid-19, medical education, Online learning

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate the perceptions of undergraduate medical students, faculty and
administrators, regarding their experience of emergency distance online teaching, the challenges faced, and future opportunities
digital learning.
Study Design and Setting: A qualitative study design was used with a phenomenology approach. This study was conducted
in two public sector universities in Karachi in November and December 2021.
Methodology: In-depth-interviews (IDIs) were used to assess the perceptions of administrators and faculty, and focus
group discussions (FGDs) for perceptions of medical students. Qualitative data was analyzed by thematic analysis.
Results: Participants reported unpreparedness of institutions, internet connectivity and technological expertise issues, lack
of student-teacher engagement, untrained faculty, lack of practical and clinical exposure, loss of learning environment and
infrastructure issues, as the barriers, while appreciating the convenience, flexibility, time-efficiency, accessibility and
continuity of medical education as the advantages of distance learning.
Conclusion: The new dictum of education is digital learning and it is here to stay. The consensus opinion seems to be for
blended learning, with theoretical component of curriculum being delivered online and practical and clinical, face-to-face.

References

Cucinotta D, Vanelli M. WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.

Acta Bio Medica: Atenei Parmensis. 2020;91:157. (https://doi:

23750/abm.v91i1.9397)

Manzoor I, et al. Lectures in medical education: students'

views. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2011; 23:118-21.

Kala PS, Thapliyal N, Pandey HS, Piyush AR, Maheshwari

S, Chaudhary VS. Medical students’ perspective on online

teaching during pandemic: Experience from a Government

Medical College in Uttarakhand, India. Journal of Education

and Health Promotion. 2021;10. https://doi: 10.4103/jehp

.jehp _113_21

Farooq F, Rathore FA, Mansoor SN. Challenges of Online

Medical Education in Pakistan During COVID-19 Pandemic.

J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2020; 30:67-69. (https://doi.org/

29271/jcpsp.2020.Supp1.S67).

Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. Why online

education? Available at accessed on 17 October 2021.

https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10071419

He L, Yang N, Xu L, Ping F, Li W, Sun Q, Li Y, Zhu H, Zhang

H. Synchronous distance education vs traditional education

for health science students: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Medical Education. 2021; 55:293-308. https://

doi.org/10.1111/medu.14364

Alsoufi A, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on

medical education: Medical students’ knowledge, attitudes,

and practices regarding electronic learning. PloS one. 2020;

:e0242905. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242905

Sklar DP. COVID-19: Lessons from the Disaster That Can

Improve Health Professions Education. Acad Med. 2020;

:1631-1633. https://doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000003547

Dawidziuk A, Kawka M, Szyszka B, Wadunde I, Ghimire A.

Global Access to Technology-Enhanced Medical Education

During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Students in

Narrowing the Gap. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2021; 9:10-14.

https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-20-00455

Hodges, C.B., Moore, S., Lockee, B.B., Trust, T. and Bond,

M.A.,. The difference between emergency remote teaching

and online learning. 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/104648

Wilcha RJ. Effectiveness of virtual medical teaching during

the COVID-19 crisis: systematic review. JMIR medical

education. 2020; 6:e20963. (https://hdoi:10.2196/20963)

Tabatabai S. Simulations and virtual learning supporting

clinical education during the COVID 19 pandemic. Advances

in medical education and practice. 2020;11:513. (https://DOI:

2147/AMEP.S280840)

De Ponti R, Marazzato J, Maresca AM. Rovera F, Carcano

G, Ferrario MM. Pre-graduation medical training including

virtual reality during COVID-19 pandemic: a report on

students’ perception. BMC Med. Educ. 2020;20:332.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02245-8

Braun V, Clarke V. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis,

Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. 2019;

:589-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806

Al-Balas M et al. Distance learning in clinical medical

education amid COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan: current

situation, challenges, and perspectives. BMC medical

education. 2020; 20:1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-

-4

Akhter H, Abdul Rahman AA, Jafrin N, Mohammad Saif AN,

Esha BH, Mostafa R. Investigating the barriers that intensify

undergraduates’ unwillingness to online learning during

COVID-19: A study on public universities in a developing

country. Cogent Education. 2022; 9:2028342. https://doi.org/10.

/2331186X.2022.2028342

Shahrvini B, Baxter SL, Coffey CS, MacDonald BV, Lander

L. Pre-clinical remote undergraduate medical education during

the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey study. BMC Medical

education. 2021;21:1-3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-

-2

Aboagye E, Yawson JA, Appiah KN. COVID-19 and Elearning: The challenges of students in tertiary institutions.

Soc. Educ. Res. 2021:1-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10. 37256/

ser.212021422

Tayem YI, Almarabheh AJ, Hamza EA, Deifalla A. Perceptions

of Medical Students on Distance Learning During the COVID-

Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Bahrain. Advances

in Medical Education and Practice. 2022;13:345. (https:DOI:

2147/AMEP.S357335)

Otaki F, Zaher S, Du Plessis S, Lakhtakia R, Zary N, Inuwa

IM. Introducing the 4Ps Model of Transitioning to Distance

Learning: A convergent mixed methods study conducted

during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plos one. 2021; 16:e0253662.

(https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253662)

Abbasi S, Ayoob T, Malik A, Memon SI. Perceptions of

students regarding E-learning during Covid-19 at a private

medical college. Pakistan journal of medical sciences. 2020

May;36(COVID19-S4):S57. (https:// doi: 10.12669/pjms.36.

COVID19-S4.2766)

Mukhtar K, Javed K, Arooj M, Sethi A. Advantages,

Limitations and Recommendations for online learning during

COVID-19 pandemic era. Pakistan journal of medical sciences.

; 36:S27. (https://doi: 10.12669/pjms.36.COVID19-

S4.2785)

Khalil R, Mansour AE, Fadda WA, Almisnid K, Aldamegh

M, Al-Nafeesah A, Alkhalifah A, Al-Wutayd O. The sudden

transition to synchronized online learning during the COVID-

pandemic in Saudi Arabia: a qualitative study exploring

medical students’ perspectives. BMC medical education.

; 20:1-0 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02208-z)

Hamad SM, Iqbal S, Alothri AM, Alghamadi MA, Elhelow

MK. “To teach is to learn twice” Added value of peer learning

among medical students during COVID-19 Pandemic.

MedEdPublish. 2021; 9:127. (https://doi.org/10.15694/ mep.2

000127.2)

Kazerooni AR, Amini M, Tabari P, Moosavi M. Peer mentoring

for medical students during COVID-19 pandemic via a social

media platform. Medical education. 2020. (https:// doi:

1111/medu.14206)

Downloads

Published

2023-07-13

How to Cite

Shah, N. ., Shah, N. ., Musharraf, M. ., & Baig, L. . (2023). Discontents and Blessings of Emergency Distance Learning During Covid-19: A Qualitative Study in Two Universities of Karachi, Pakistan. Journal of Bahria University Medical and Dental College, 13(03), 228–233. https://doi.org/10.51985/JBUMDC2023216

Issue

Section

Medical Education - Original Article