E-learning in Pharmacy Education: what do we know about it?

Since March 2020, all schools in Nigeria have been closed to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This paper presents the case study of the e-learning strategies adopted by Kaduna State University to reduce the educational disruption during these unprecedented times. As the University had no established e-learning resources, there was a need for prompt training of staff in online teaching. The online teaching methods to be adopted came with their fair share of challenges as e-learning activities had not been taking place at the University prior to the emergence of COVID-19. The University, with the full support of the state government, were making plans to ensure a fixed structure for the integration of e-learning into the syllabus. This case study provides some recommendations that could be adopted by similar institutions that have no previous e-learning structures. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened up opportunities to upgrade the educational mode of delivery and shown the need to embrace emerging technologies.

Download Full-text

Blended teaching practices for active learning in higher pharmacy education

10.21203/rs.3.rs-51141/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

wenyuan liu ◽

Xinzhu Gao ◽

Lingfei Han ◽

Jing Liu ◽

Feng Feng

Keyword(s):

Student Achievement ◽

Active Learning ◽

Formative Evaluation ◽

Teaching Strategy ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Tertiary Level ◽

Positive Contribution ◽

Learning Platform ◽

E Learning ◽

Blended Teaching

Abstract Background : Active learning practices improve student achievement on average in college. Blended adoption of some form of research-based teaching methods for active learning at the tertiary level is rapidly expanding. Nevertheless, there have been few studies to date on the effects of detailed factors such as the blending ratio of the teaching components, impacts of learning resources and formative evaluation methods. The aim of this study was to develop a blended teaching strategy by incorporating methods of team-based learning (TBL) and e-learning into a Pharmaceutical Analysis course for student active learning, and to explore how the practice impacts student learning outcomes. Methods: Two blended teaching programs with different blending ratios of TBL and e-learning methods were developed and compared in this study. Students from four experimental classes enrolled in different majors were recruited. Student outcomes related to active learning goals, such as achievement, logic development or sense of accountability at the tertiary level, were analyzed and evaluated using a formative evaluation method. A survey administered after the study was completed by each student. Results: Student e-learning performance was positively correlated with the final scores, suggesting that exercises and tests provided by the e-learning platform made a positive contribution to student knowledge achievement. On surveys a large majority of students reported that working on instructor-posed questions in a TBL setting improved their higher-order cognitive skills, social cohesion and, through that, feelings of accountability. Final scores showed significant differences among students from different majors, which implied that the effectiveness of active learning depends on the characteristics of students and their activities outside of class. Conclusions: The blended teaching strategy developed in this study was effective in improving student achievement in either formative or summative assessments, which provides an accessible and informative entry point for implementing active learning in higher pharmacy education.

Download Full-text

Prioritizing Technology in Pharmacy Education: A Document Analysis of Strategic Plans

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy8040237 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 237

Author(s):

Jacob D. Dresser ◽

Paul Burmeister ◽

Vibhuti Arya ◽

Kyle John Wilby

Keyword(s):

Document Analysis ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Utilization Of Technology ◽

Strategic Plans ◽

Target User ◽

The Usa ◽

E Learning ◽

Student Training ◽

Online Distance

The COVID-19 pandemic has required many pharmacy programs to increase their utilization of technology or shift the course of delivery entirely online. Delivery in this setting has exposed areas in the use of technology where pharmacy programs need to improve (such as staff and student training). This study performed a document analysis of strategic plans to identify technology-related strategies and where gaps in planning currently exist. Accredited pharmacy programs in Canada and the USA were included for analysis. A total of 77 strategic plans were identified. Strategic plans were searched for the phrases: "tech", "online", "distance" and "e-learning" to identify technology-related statements. Statements relating to technology in education were coded for (1) the prioritized “action” and (2) the objective or “goal” of this strategy. Quantitative analysis of these codes revealed that the “action” was most frequently to introduce or improve technology (54.4%), and the “goal” most frequently related to enhancing teaching/course delivery/learning (34.2%). Strategic plans appeared to frequently focus on the technology itself, with little consideration for the human aspect of operating technology or readiness of programs to embrace technology. Moving forward, strategic priorities with respect to technology should be refocused towards system readiness and account for resources necessary for target user upskilling and acceptance.

Download Full-text

Challenges and Innovations Brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic Regarding Medical and Pharmacy Education Especially in Africa and Implications for the Future

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9121722 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1722

Author(s):

Ayukafangha Etando ◽

Adefolarin A. Amu ◽

Mainul Haque ◽

Natalie Schellack ◽

Amanj Kurdi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Teaching ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Disadvantaged Students ◽

Complex Patients ◽

E Learning ◽

Multiple Challenges ◽

Future Direction ◽

The Many ◽

Key Questions

Background: Multiple measures introduced early to restrict COVID-19 have dramatically impacted the teaching of medical and pharmacy students, exacerbated by the lack of infrastructure and experience with e-learning at the start of the pandemic. In addition, the costs and reliability of the Internet across Africa pose challenges alongside undertaking clinical teaching and practical programmes. Consequently, there is a need to understand the many challenges and how these were addressed, given increasingly complex patients, to provide future direction. Method: An exploratory study was conducted among senior-level medical and pharmacy educators across Africa, addressing four key questions, including the challenges resulting from the pandemic and how these were dealt with. Results: Staff and student members faced multiple challenges initially, including adapting to online learning. In addition, concerns with the lack of equipment (especially among disadvantaged students), the costs of Internet bundles, and how to conduct practicals and clinical teaching. Multiple activities were undertaken to address these challenges. These included training sessions, developing innovative approaches to teaching, and seeking ways to reduce Internet costs. Robust approaches to practicals, clinical teaching, and assessments have been developed. Conclusions: Appreciable difficulties to teaching arising from the pandemic are being addressed across Africa. Research is ongoing to improve education and assessments.

Download Full-text

A global assessment of distance pharmacy education amid COVID-19: teaching, assessment and experiential training

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1093/ijpp/riab064 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hamzah Alzubaidi ◽

Feras Jassim Jirjees ◽

Kari L Franson ◽

Ward Saidawi ◽

Amna M Othman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Teaching ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Crisis Response ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

World Health ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Experiential Training ◽

Work Related ◽

E Learning ◽

Related Stress

Abstract Objectives To explore pharmacy colleges’ experiences and challenges worldwide with the transition to online teaching during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods From the six World Health Organization regions, 28 countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases were identified, and 111 pharmacy colleges were randomly selected from these countries. Two online surveys were sent to faculty members and senior administrators. They assessed changes in teaching and learning, experiential training, assessment, readiness for and challenges with distance e-learning and work-related stress. Key findings Data were collected from 46 colleges. The majority (80.4%) of colleges transitioned to distance e-learning. On-site experiential training was discontinued in 55.5% of colleges and 25.0% redesigned on-site training into remote learning experiences. Assessments were modified in 75.9% of colleges. Assuring the integrity of assessments and delivering practical classes were the most prominent faculty challenges. The majority of faculty (75.0%) and administrators (61.9%) reported moderate work-related stress. Nevertheless, most academics felt that they received adequate support from their institutions and had positive perceptions of the transition to distance e-learning during the pandemic. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic required drastic changes for most programs’ teaching methods. Our results showed that educational institutions were somewhat able to support faculty and the needs of educational programs were largely met. However, academic rigour and provision of experiential training can be improved. Faculty emotional support and training needs were not fully addressed in these difficult times. These results shed light on how the global pharmacy academy has addressed the COVID-19 pandemic and help rethink crisis response models.

Download Full-text

The effect of generic medicines e-learning course via Web 2.0 tools on knowledge of pharmacists and pharmacy students

Pharmacy Education ◽

10.46542/pe.2021.211.679689 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 679-689

Author(s):

Ramez M. Alkoudmani ◽

Ramadan M. Elkalmi ◽

Mohamed Azmi Hassali ◽

Jennifer Apolinário-Hagen

Keyword(s):

Web 2.0 ◽

Educational Intervention ◽

Arabic Language ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Online Course ◽

Generic Medicines ◽

Web 2.0 Tools ◽

Novel Technologies ◽

E Learning

Background: Research scoping on e-learning and novel web 2.0 tools in pharmacy education in Arabic Language Speaking Countries (ALSCs) is scarce. Aim and methods: Therefore, this study aimed to develop an online educational course on generic medicines to reveal the views of Arab pharmacists and pharmacy students about emerging technologies in transferring pharmaceutical knowledge and assess the differences in knowledge scores before and after the online educational intervention and the differences in knowledge scores among study subgroups. Results: The total mean knowledge score after attending the online educational intervention significantly increased, from 4.9±1.68 to 7.75±1.75 (t(86) = 4.6, p<0.001). Providing an online course using web 2.0 tools to transfer pharmaceutical knowledge was viewed as highly positive (mean score = 62.23±6.08, range 45-75 points). Significant sex and status differences were identified post-assessment. Female participants and pharmacists had higher knowledge scores compared with males and students, respectively. Conclusion: The online course development was successfully implemented using Schoology as an online learning management system (LMS) and Facebook as a social network site (SNS). Arab pharmacists and pharmacy students found e-learning and web 2.0 tools to be effective novel technologies in transferring pharmaceutical knowledge.

Download Full-text