Medical students' perception of e-learning approach (MeSPeLA) - a mixed method research.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Learning Technologies

Background:

• Discrepancies exist in e-learning research between Central/Eastern and Western European medical universities.
• The MeSPeLA study addresses this gap by focusing on Polish medical students' perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Polish medical students' understanding, experiences, and expectations regarding e-learning.
• To assess perceptions of e-learning usefulness, advantages, and disadvantages in medical education.

Main Methods:

• Validated questionnaire with open-ended and closed questions administered to 204 Polish medical students.
• Focus group discussions supplemented the questionnaire data.
• Qualitative data analyzed using an inductive approach.

Main Results:

• 46% of students preferred a communication-oriented definition of e-learning.
• 76.8% reported prior e-learning experience; 7.4% reported none.
• Key advantages cited were time-saving and better time management; limited social interaction was a drawback.
• High acceptance and positive attitudes towards e-learning were observed across demographics.
• Advanced IT skills correlated with better understanding and perceived usefulness of e-learning.

Conclusions:

• Polish medical students exhibit positive attitudes towards e-learning, similar to those in Western countries.
• Findings support the applicability of e-learning strategies from Western contexts to Poland and similar regions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption and integration of e-learning in medical education.