Advantages, Limitations and Recommendations for online learning during COVID-19 pandemic era

Objective: During COVID-19 pandemic, the institutions in Pakistan have started online learning. This study explores the perception of teachers and students regarding its advantages, limitations and recommendations. Methods: This qualitative case study was conducted from March to April 2020. Using maximum variation sampling, 12 faculty members and 12 students from University College of Medicine and University College of Dentistry, Lahore were invited to participate. Four focus group interviews, two each with the faculty and students of medicine and dentistry were carried out. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Atlas Ti. Results: The advantages included remote learning, comfort, accessibility, while the limitations involved inefficiency and difficulty in maintaining academic integrity. The recommendations were to train faculty on using online modalities and developing lesson plan with reduced cognitive load and increased interactivities. Conclusion: The current study supports the use of online learning in medical and dental institutes, considering its various advantages. Online learning modalities encourage student-centered learning and they are easily manageable during this lockdown situation.