Exploring the Journey of Students in an Online CHPE Program of a Pakistani University: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objective: To explore the factors affecting the learning of students of certificate in health professionals education (CHPE) in an online learning environment, and the strategies to improve their learning environment. Study Design: An exploratory qualitative study. Place and Duration of Study: CHPE program Riphah International University. The study was conducted from 15 August to 15 September 2020. Materials and Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted, eight students from the CHPE program Riphah International University volunteered to participate in the study. Eight Semi-structured openended individual interviews were carried out. Data were transcribed and thematically analyzed manually. Results: Thematic analysis of data identified 26 codes, 12 subthemes, and 6 themes. Themes were learning enhancing factors, best about online learning, biggest challenges, learning hampering factors, satisfaction with online sessions, and suggestions for improvement. Conclusion: The current study showed overall satisfaction with the online learning environment of the CHPE (certificate in health profession education) program, despite this satisfaction few hampering factors were identified, addressing these factors can improve the online learning environment. Strategies suggested for improvement were faculty training, students training, planning of the session, and fewer participants for online learning.

Keywords

• learning environment
• online
• hampering factors
• promoting factors
• improvement suggestion