Virtual Learning - A New Normal
Teaching via Online Platforms in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond
By Titilopemi Aina, MD, MPH, FAAP, FASA; Barbara C. Nzegwu, MD, FAAP; Justin L. Lockman, MD, MS Ed, FAAP
The worldwide spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has dramatically changed teaching in all forms over the past year. This change includes didactic lectures for trainees, continuing medical education for anesthesiologists, and even informal "chalk talk" discussions. After an initial shutdown of activities in many places, clinical educators were asked to rapidly transition educational curricula to online platforms – most with no training or experience in online education. While in some ways disruptive, there have also been unexpected benefits of virtual learning in some cases. We offer a few tips for transitioning to, maintaining, and excelling with an online platform in the COVID-19 era and beyond.
As with any change initiative, buy-in from stakeholders is vital. Stakeholders in medical education include learners, faculty, and administrators (including training program leadership). Most modern trainees are digital natives, but setting clear expectations (for example, cameras turned on) is essential. Faculty may be allowed to decline to participate in the new lecture format if they so choose. Administrators must support the necessary hardware and software purchases (and tech support) to allow education to continue, as outlined below. Involving key stakeholders can be extremely valuable in shaping a proposed lecture format change.1
Before COVID-19, online learning was used primarily to promote asynchronous learning curricula due to duty hour limitations. However, in 2020, online education has become central to maintaining the educational mission while social distancing. An important consideration for educators is how best to maintain engagement with learners remotely. Options include: using a whiteboard format to lead a discussion, sending a recorded lecture for asynchronous previewing followed by live question/answer session or case-based discussion, using the Socratic method to encourage attention through questioning (posing questions to each learner serially), among others. Case-based learning, in particular, has been used successfully in the online platform.2
The use of a Learning Management System (LMS) will allow for organization and presentation of course content. Through one of the various commercially-available LMSs (for example, Google classroom), pre-class work can be assigned, such as readings, videos, recorded lectures, and understanding assessments. The same is true of post-class follow-up, including further reading, post-learning assessments, the ability to contact faculty, and more.
For synchronous learning sessions, an audio/video conferencing platform is required for distance learning. There are many similar platforms available (with minor feature differences). A standard feature is that individuals may join meetings with audio and video connections from any location and on any device.3 Most also have integrated chat features, which allow learners to ask questions or make comments either to the teacher or to all participants. For faculty and learners alike, orientation to the platform or a tip sheet should be provided.
Each curriculum leader will need to determine whether to change logistics such as time, day, and frequency of education sessions. As with live/in-person learning, it is essential to obtain ongoing feedback about virtual learning experiences and adapt accordingly.
Despite some of the challenges outlined above, virtual learning (and meeting in general) has several critical advantages. For example, we have noticed increased lecture attendance since participants can join from any location inside or outside the hospital. Also, recorded sessions allow later self-directed learning for those unable to attend a session. Wellness is likely enhanced in some ways with these virtual platforms (more flexible time at home). Still, it is paradoxically in danger of worsening because of the encroachment of work into the house for both learners and teachers. Costs have been generally decreased in most departments because of eliminating food/coffee costs with virtual learning/meetings. Finally, participation from distant learners (regionally, nationally, or internationally) is far easier with virtual learning, and curriculum planners should consider how best to incorporate this unique feature into sessions.
In summary, we have been forced into technological-advancement by years (or even decades) over the months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are confident that with time, some of this technology's downsides will be lessened and that the upsides will persist. We encourage education leaders and others to continue to optimize the use of virtual platforms into the future – even when COVID-19 is a thing of the past!
References
- Braud H, Dalgarno N, McEwen L, et al. Involving ophthalmology departmental stakeholders in developing workplace-based assessment tools. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology 2019; 54 (5): 590 – 600.
- Feist M, Ciccarelli, M, McFerron BA, et al. Methods and Effects of a Case-based Pediatric Gastroenterology Online Curriculum. JPGN 2013. 56 (2): 161 – 165.
- Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing. https://zoom.us/. Accessed May 14, 2020.
