Assessment of online teaching as an adjunct to medical education in the backdrop of COVID-19 lockdown in a developing country – An online survey

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess awareness about online classes and to assess if they can aid learning in the field of medicine amid lockdown. METHODS: Online survey comprising a questionnaire related to the aspects of online teaching was undertaken. There were 16 questions, and responses were collected from undergraduates, postgraduates, and the teaching faculties. RESULTS: Online classes were viewed favorably by the vast majority of respondents. Out of 412 respondents 79.9% actively attended the classes. While 42% felt the timings were inappropriate as they clashed with duty hours, a set of 35% had difficulty understanding the content and most of them were undergraduates. Poor internet connection was a main hindrance identified. In total, 69.2% respondents were happy with the feasibility of the classes and believed these classes had the advantage of being economical as they offered exposure to national and international faculty from the comfort of their homes. CONCLUSION: Conducting online classes on a national scale is a herculean task for a developing country because of poor internet connectivity and deficient access to high-speed broadband services. Nevertheless, their popularity among students during the current crisis shows that it is a very pragmatic and feasible teaching option and can definitely supplement traditional classroom teaching.