Evaluation of e-learning in a department of Community Medicine as a response to COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic pushed all educational institutions to rely exclusively on technology-based learning. As this was done for the first time, it is ideal to evaluate the e-learning program to refine and consolidate the learned experience. Hence, the current study was undertaken to evaluate the online learning and teaching experiences of students and teachers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This program evaluation on e-learning was carried out in the department of Community Medicine (DCM) in a private medical college using context/input/process/product framework among IV, VI, and VII semester undergraduate students and faculties in DCM who were exposed to e-learning for the period of 2 months since April 2020. Google Forms was used to design a survey questionnaire that was conceptualized as per the needs of the evaluation framework. Ethics Committee approval was obtained. Descriptive analysis was done for quantitative variables and manual content analysis using Lewin's force field framework was performed for the qualitative data. RESULTS: Out of 301 undergraduates contacted, 196 (65.1%) responded to online survey. Their mean age was 19.9 years and 128 (65.3%) were females. Mobile phone was used by 93.4% to access e-learning. Combined modality of learning was preferred by 58.2% of them in future. Six “for” and “against” factors on e-learning emerged out of content analysis pertaining to three main stakeholders, namely administrator, faculty, and student. CONCLUSION: Our evaluation conveys that for effective e-learning in any subject, the students, educators, and institutional factors that were identified need to be considered throughout all phases of program development with careful assumptions about its acceptance by the millennial.