Online Problem-Based Learning (PBL) during COVID-19 Pandemic: Trial at the Libyan International Medical University

Abstract

Background Online courses that utilize problem-based learning (PBL) are widely recognized as an effective educational method that blends self-directed learning with collaborative problem-solving.

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction of students from the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) at Libyan International Medical University (LIMU) with an online PBL course during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020.

Method This is a cross-sectional study performed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, involving a total of 293 students from four different classes of Faculty of BMS. Each online PBL session ran for 2 hours and was arranged independently for each year group. Students had access to a seven-closed-question questionnaire for a few hours after the end of the session. The questions were of three different categories. The first category was related to the online organization of the session, tutor control, and instructions provided in the applied Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle). The second category involves questions related to online communication problems, the facility of the Google Hangouts application used, and the time allocated for the session. The third category was the cooperation of the PBL group. The student was asked to answer agree or disagree for each question. If the student did not choose one of the answers, his response was recorded as (no response). The scores of (agree), (disagree), or (no response) for each student were transferred to a Microsoft Office (2021) Excel file and were displayed as frequency and percentages. A two-way analysis of variance without replication was performed to analyze the differences in student responses across various groups using Excel statistics. The proportion test was utilized to determine whether the proportion of positive responses (agree) in any group significantly differed from a specified level of 0.75 (75%). The acceptable proportion of no response was set at 0.2 (20%). The significant level was set at p-value less than 0.05.

Results For the first category, the highest level of student satisfaction (79.9%) was associated with Moodle instructions, followed by tutor control (79.5%), and online organization (72%). However, students in the third year of medicine demonstrated significantly lower satisfaction with online organizations compared with other groups (62.3%, p < 0.05). For the second category, all groups, except first-year medicine students, reported significantly low satisfaction with online access (58% p < 0.05). All groups expressed satisfaction with the time allotted for the session (74%) and the online Google Hangouts application used (71%), except for third-year medicine students, who exhibited a notable level of dissatisfaction with the use of online Google Hangouts application (7%, p < 0.05). Lastly, the third category focused on group cooperation and reflected an overall student satisfaction rate of 80%.

Conclusion BMS students responded positively regarding their first online PBL session during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study displayed that the availability of online communication, the clarity of instructions, good session organization, and control are important factors that will determine the effectiveness of online PBL.

Keywords

online PBL - online learning - COVID-19 - medical education - basic medical sciences

Publication History

Received: 26 December 2023

Accepted: 01 January 2024

Article published online:
13 March 2024

• References

• 1 O'Doherty D, Dromey M, Lougheed J, Hannigan A, Last J, McGrath D. Barriers and solutions to online learning in medical education - an integrative review. BMC Med Educ 2018; 18 (130) 1-11 Available at https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-018-1240-0 Accessed December 01, 2020
• 2 Wittich CM, Agrawal A, Cook DA. et al. E-learning in graduate medical education: survey of residency program directors. BMC Med Educ 2017; 17 (01) 114 https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-017-0953-9 Accessed December012020
• 3 Moore JL, Dickson-Deane C, Galyen K. e-Learning, online learning, and distance learning environments: are they the same?. Internet High Educ 2018; 14 (02) 129-135 Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1096751610000886 Accessed December 02, 2020
• 4 Cole J, Foster H. Using Moodle: Teaching with the Popular Open Source Course Management System. 2nd ed. Sebastopol, California, USA: O'Reilly Media, Inc; 2007
• 5 Wood EJ. Problem-based learning. Acta Biochim Pol 2004; 51 (02) XXI-XXVI http://www.actabp.pl/pdf/2_2004/XXIs.pdf Accessed December052020
• 6 Rhema A, Miliszewska I. The potential of E-learning in assisting post-crisis countries in re-building their higher education systems: The case of Libya. Issues Informing Sci. Inf. Technol. 2012; 9: 149–160. Available at: https://vuir.vu.edu.au/22860/6/IISITv9p149-160Rhema033.pdf Accessed December 05, 2020.
• 7 El-Mansoury A, El-Naas N. Libyan International Medical University the Libyan Pioneer in Problem Based Learning. Int J Adv Res (Indore) 2016; 4: 992-1000 Available at https://www.journalijar.com/article/9893/libyan-international-medical-university-the-libyan-pioneer-in-problem-based-learning./ Accessed December 07, 2020
• 8 Macario E, Benton LD, Yuen J. et al. Preparing public health nurses for pandemic influenza through distance learning. Public Health Nurs 2007; 24 (01) 66-72 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-1446.2006.00609.x Accessed December072020
• 9 Van D, McLaws M-L, Crimmins J, MacIntyre CR, Seale H. University life and pandemic influenza: attitudes and intended behaviour of staff and students towards pandemic (H1N1) 2009. BMC Public Health 2010; 10 (130) 130 https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-10-130 Accessed December092020
• 10 Rajab KD. The effectiveness and potential of e-learning in war zones: an empirical comparison of face-to-face and online education in Saudi Arabia. IEEE Access 2018; 6: 6783-6794 Available at https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8276222 Accessed December 10, 2020
• 11 Hashim H, Chong DWK, Er HM. et al. Students' Perceptions of Live Online Virtual e-Problem Based Learning (LOVE-PBL) using Google Hangouts. J Res Educ Indian Med 2017; 9 (04) 31-39 Available at https://eduimed.usm.my/EIMJ20170904/EIMJ20170904_04.pdf Accessed December 10, 2020
• 12 Erickson S, Neilson C, O'Halloran R, Bruce C, McLaughlin E. 'I was quite surprised it worked so well': student and facilitator perspectives of synchronous online Problem Based Learning. Innov Educ Teach Int 2020; 58 (01) 1-12 Accessed December 11, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2020.1752281.
• 13 Song L, Singleton ES, Hill JR, Koh MH. Improving online learning: student perceptions of useful and challenging characteristics. Internet High Educ 2004; 7 (01) 59-70 Accessed December 12, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.11.003.
• 14 Sahu P. Closure of universities due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): impact on education and mental health of students and academic staff. Cureus 2020; 12 (04) e7541 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32377489/ Accessed December122020