A cross-sectional study on attitude towards online teaching versus classroom teaching in medical undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: The closure of educational activities in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unplanned shift from classroom teaching to online education. Hence, online education has become a key component in the continuity of education. Based on this, the present study aimed to explore the attitude towards online teaching versus classroom teaching amongst medical students at Siddhartha Medical College, Vijayawada. Methods: One hundred and thirty two 2nd year medical students participated in this online survey carried out in November 2020 after the completion of 4 months of online classes. A set of self-designed questionnaires were administered to the students, to assess their attitude towards online teaching versus classroom teaching on various parameters. Results: The study result shows that online classes (7.6%) were not superior to conventional classroom teachings (50.8%) and 41.7% opted for both. Conclusions: We could conclude from our study that students were not much satisfied with online teaching, but it was the need of the hour. Online teaching can supplement the process of present education, but it cannot be a substitute for the established system of education.

Keywords

• classroom teaching
• covid-19 pandemic
• medical students
• online teaching