Student academic performance in non-lecture physiology topics following the abrupt change from traditional on-site teaching to online teaching during COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Medical education online 2023-12, Vol.28 (1), p.2149292-2149292
• Main Authors: Varachotisate, Pachara, Siritaweechai, Natakorn, Kositanurit, Weerapat, Thanprasertsuk, Sekh, Chayanupatkul, Maneerat, Thongsricome, Thana, Bumphenkiatikul, Thanapob, Chuleerarux, Nipat, Watanatada, Pasakorn, Werawatganon, Duangporn, Somboonwong, Juraiporn, Siriviriyakul, Prasong, Sanguanrungsirikul, Sompol, Bongsebandhu-Phubhakdi, Saknan, Ratanasirisawad, Varis, Jaroenlapnopparat, Aunchalee, Burana, Chuti, Somsirivattana, Pornpavee, Kulaputana, Onanong, Kaikaew, Kasiphak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic performance; Classes; COVID-19; Distance learning; Learning; Medical education; Medical students; non-lecture based teaching; Online instruction; online learning; Onsite; Pandemics; Physiology; pre-clerkship education; Social interaction; student opinion; Students; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching methods; Topics; undergraduate medical education
• ISSN: 1087-2981; 1087-2981
• DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2022.2149292

During the COVID-19 pandemic, pre-clerkship medical education, including all physiology classes, was obliged to change to online teaching due to limitations of on-site (face-to-face) classes. However, the effectiveness of online teaching in non-lecture physiology topics during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been thoroughly investigated. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the students' academic achievement and opinions on online teaching during the COVID-19 academic year. Academic achievement of 312 students in the COVID-19 year was compared with that of 299 students in the pre-COVID-19 year. Student opinions regarding social interactions and the preferred learning method were also collected. We found that student academic achievement in the non-lecture physiology topics, assessed by summative scores, was 4.80±0.92 percent higher in the pre-COVID-19 year than in the COVID-19 year (P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.42). Students rated that online classes tended to reduce their interactions with peers and teachers; however, students preferred online learning over traditional on-site learning. This study pointed out that students' academic performance related to the physiology topics taught by online non-lecture methods during the COVID-19 pandemic was lower than their performance when the topics were taught by the traditional (on-site) methods, although students reported that they preferred the online teaching. Hence, we suggest that medical teachers should deliberately plan and utilise a variety of tools and techniques when developing online non-lecture classes to preserve the interactivity of the classes, which might overcome this gap in students' academic performance.