Barriers of conducting Effective Online Classes in Undergraduate Medical Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: In March 2020, the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced medical colleges in Bangladesh to stop face-to-face learning activities and abruptly shift to an online curriculum. This study aims to identify the barriers to online teaching and learning from the perspective of the students and the teachers at a medical college from a developing country’s perspective.
Methodology: This prospective, cross-sectional study was based on an electronic survey that was sent to the medical students and teachers of Mugda Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh, between August and December of 2021, to find out the barriers that they were facing in online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a semi-structured questionnaire with a Likert scale to find out the barriers. Data was obtained regarding perceived barriers to online learning.
Results: Perceived barriers to online learning in the COVID-19 situation as identified by the students were poor internet connection specially in the rural or peri urban areas of Bangladesh (67%), high cost of internet package (65%), ineffectiveness of online class regarding practical classes specially anatomy classes (59%), distractions in the home environment disturbs concentration in class (57%), ineffectiveness of online class in solving problems and absence of feedback (41%). On the other hand, according to the teacher's opinion, the most frequently encountered barrier was conducting practical, laboratory or bedside clinical teaching and learning (85%), followed by difficulty in understanding whether students are engaged in learning or not (65%).
Conclusion: Medical students and teachers confronted several interrelated barriers as they tried to adapt to online teaching and learning. Most frequently encountered were difficulty in adjusting learning styles, having distraction in home environment, and above all, poor internet connection. By implementing student-centered interventions, medical colleges and educators can play a significant role in addressing those challenges and finding possible solutions.