Study Reveals Students’ Experiences with Virtual vs. On-Campus Practical Sessions in Healthcare Education

JORDAN: In a cross-sectional study conducted by a team of researchers from Jordan University of Science and Technology, students’ experiences with virtual (online) laboratory sessions versus traditional on-campus sessions in healthcare education were explored. 

The study sheds light on various aspects, including student preferences, time spent, effort exerted, ability to remember instructions, and future teaching preferences, offering crucial insights into the evolving landscape of healthcare education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Shifting Educational Landscape

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a significant transformation in healthcare education, necessitating a transition from traditional on-campus learning to virtual platforms. This shift had far-reaching implications for students’ educational experiences, prompting the need to investigate its impact.

To assess students’ experiences, a Google Forms questionnaire was administered to students from medicine, dentistry, and nursing schools at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) during the 2019/2020 academic year. The study encompassed a broad spectrum of laboratory sessions, including anatomy, pathology, microbiology, histology, and physiology.

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Key Findings

The study involved 455 participants, and several noteworthy findings emerged:

• Preference for Virtual Sessions: More students in histology (55.2%), pathology (57.4%), and microbiology (55.3%) laboratories expressed a preference for virtual sessions over on-campus ones. However, the preference for virtual sessions in anatomy (39.6%) and physiology (44.3%) was comparatively lower.
• Effort and Time Spent: In histology (35.6%) and microbiology (37.0%) laboratories, students reported expending less effort in virtual sessions compared to on-campus sessions. Moreover, more than half of the participants agreed that virtual laboratory sessions consumed less time.
• Ability to Remember Instructions: Participants expressed concerns about their ability to remember instructions provided during virtual teaching, as compared to on-campus teaching.
• Variations by Gender and Major: Differences in students’ experiences were detected based on gender, major of study, and year of study, highlighting the need for tailored approaches in virtual education planning.

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Implications for Healthcare Education

The findings of this study underscore the potential for lasting changes in healthcare education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the educational landscape evolves, it becomes essential to consider factors such as effort, time, ability to remember instructions, and individual preferences when designing virtual learning experiences.

Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of addressing varying experiences based on gender, major, and academic year to ensure effective implementation of virtual sessions in healthcare education.

This research provides valuable insights into the impact of the pandemic on healthcare education and serves as a foundation for informed decision-making in future crises and the ongoing evolution of educational methods in the healthcare sector.