Healthcare Students' Perceptions towards Using e-learning, and Self-reported Drivers and Barriers during COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has reignited interest in online education as an appealing alternative. The study's goal was to evaluate students' perception of using e-learning, and to identify drivers and barriers the students experienced to the application of e-learning tools. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2020 and May 2020. The data was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire from the students adopting a census sampling method. The findings of Lean et al., as well as the study's objectives, were used to develop the questionnaire. The data was evaluated for descriptive and inferential analyses using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Results: More than one half (52.7%) of the total students (n=228) opined e-learning as a useful method for grasping basic concepts and coming up with new ideas. Pictures, graphs, videos, illustrations, and case studies were among the most beneficial aspects of e-learning (56.1%). The ease of communicating electronically (p=0.045) and smoother interaction between instructor and student (p=0.050) were the major motivators across the colleges. Sluggish internet (p=0.010), misunderstanding about the importance of the study material (p=0.007) and ambiguity about where to begin (p=0.048) were the three significant issues encountered during e-learning across the gender. The most significant disadvantage of having more internet access as a result of online learning was that students spent a significant proportion of their daily time on non-academic activities. Conclusion: Electronic learning is a useful and productive educational tool particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Images, charts, videos, illustrations and case studies can all help to highlight its beauty.