Students’ perspective on the online delivery of radiography & medical imaging program during COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes to academic program delivery worldwide. Face to face (traditional teaching) lectures were replaced with online, recorded, or live sessions; however, online systems are not an efficient substitute for clinical or laboratory courses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the imaging student's perspective on COVID-19 awareness to ensure they are prepared for clinical training and laboratory education, and to evaluate the teaching quality of the online radiography program delivery. METHODS: An online survey was conducted with radiography and medical imaging students of two female campuses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Knowledge and awareness level of COVID-19, such as symptoms and diagnostic tests, were evaluated using multiple choice questions. The Likert scale (1-5) was used to evaluate the teaching quality of the online learning of radiography, such as critical thinking and communication skills. Open-ended questions were included for students to provide comments and feedback. RESULTS: Out of 305 female students, 212 participants (71%) responded and were included in the study. The average age was 20 years, and respondents were from different study levels (year 1-year 5), with 47% and 53% of the participants from Al Ain campus and Abu Dhabi campus, respectively. Seventy percent of the respondents reported a Bachelor degree, while 30% were higher Diploma participants. The overall COVID-19 awareness level mean score was acceptable (70%). Senior students with a Bachelor degree and clinical experience scored higher than other students (72% vs. 65%, P<0.05). The mode value of the Likert scale for the teaching factors assessment (1-5) for most of the respondents showed average (mode=3) response value. However, the mode for the stress factor was high (mode=5). The overall online radiography teaching satisfaction for the teaching quality factors was less than 50%. However, more than half of the respondents (52%) recommended delivering the radiography program using the online learning system. DISCUSSION: COVID-19 imposed several challenges to the educational systems worldwide, requiring implementation of effective strategies to improve the current online teaching. Effective communication between instructors and students, engaging students with case studies discussion, and encouraging students to think critically and to be creative are important strategies. CONCLUSION: Online delivery of the radiography and medical imaging program imposes challenges for laboratory and clinical courses. It is recommended that academic institutions implement state of art technology to bridge the gap between traditional and online learning methods during the pandemic. Students are suggested to be mentally prepared to accept the shifting of the teaching mode to relieve stress and gain knowledge and practical skills more efficiently.