Assessing the students' readiness for E-Learning during the Covid-19 pandemic: A case study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Sciences E-learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid shifts to virtual learning environments.
• Assessing e-learning readiness is crucial for successful online education implementation in health sciences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the e-learning readiness of health sciences students at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.
• To identify specific areas of strength and weakness in student e-learning preparedness.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive-analytic study was conducted in 2021.
• 165 health sciences students participated.
• The Watkins et al. questionnaire was used to assess e-learning readiness, with data analyzed using SPSS v.24.

Main Results:

• The majority of students (70.9%) demonstrated high e-learning readiness.
• Students showed highest readiness in 'Technology Access' and 'Internet discussions' (0.79).
• Lowest readiness was observed in 'motivation' (0.67), particularly among Bachelor of Arts students.

Conclusions:

• Isfahan University of Medical Sciences health students are largely prepared for virtual education.
• Enhancing student motivation and providing targeted training are recommended for optimal e-learning outcomes.
• The university can proceed with virtual education implementation, focusing on support for motivation and specific student groups.